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9B2 


Horses,  Cattle, 


SHEEP  AND  SWINE, 


Origin,  History,    Improvement,    Description,   Characteristics, 
Merits,    Objections,    Adaptability    South,    Etc., 

OF    EACH    OF    the    DIFFERENT    BREEDS, 


HINTS  ON  Selection,  Care  and  Management, 


INCLUDING 


METHODS  OF  PRACTICAL  BREEDERS 


IN  THE  UNITED  STATES  AND  CANADA. 


IL LUST K ATE D 


BY 

GEO.  W.  CURTIS,  M.  S.  A., 
Professor  of  Agriculture  in  the  Agricultural  and 
Mechanical    College    of    Texas. 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  AUTHOR, 
College    Station,    Brazos    County,  Texas. 


Copyright,  1888, 
By   GEO.    W.   CURTIS. 

(All  Rights  Reserved.) 


RREF^TXCe. 


From  early  boyhood  I  have  been  a  lover  of  good  stock,  familiar  with  the  every- 
day, practical  work  in  handling  and  feeding ;  and  when,  as  a  student  in  one  of  our 
agricultural  colleges,  my  attention  was  first  drawn  to  the  need  for  a  suitable  text-book 
on  domestic  animals,  I  began  a  more  extended  study,  with  the  purpose  in  view 
which  I  have  since  striven  to  accomplish. 

In  presenting  this  volume  to  the  public,  I  desire  especially  to  acknowledge  the 
kindly  encouragement  received  from  my  co-workers  in  the  line  of  agricultural  instruc- 
tion. Many,  like  myself,  have  been  giving  lectures  to  their  students  on  the  subjects 
treated  in  these  pages,  and,  from  very  lack  of  time,  the  lectures  have  been  incom- 
plete and  unsatisfactory.  The  urgent  requests  which  have  reached  me,  especially 
during  the  past  year,  have  greatly  encouraged  me  to  push  forward  the  work.  From 
another  class — the  general  stockman  and  farmer — has  come  a  still  more  urgent  demand 
for  information  of  this  character.  I  have  received  many  inquiries  which  these  pages 
will  answer,  and,  while  the  successful  stockman  is  one  who  understands  his  work,  I 
trust  all  will  find  much  of  interest  and  something  of  profit  in  their  perusal. 

The  statements  of  actual  methods  pursued  by  successful  breeders  in  different 
parts  of  the  country,  will  be  found  of  very  great  value.  There  are  many  young 
farmers,  and  perhaps  some  older  ones,  who  are  in  need  of  information  of  a  practical 
kind  regarding  the  "  points  "  in  handling  stock,  and  for  all  such,  the  letters  from  prac- 
tical men  given  in  the  Chapters  on  Care  and  Management,  are  worthy  most  careful 
study. 

In  all  assertions  as  to  average  weights  for  the  different  breeds,  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that  animals  are  frequently  found  which  exceed  the  weights  given,  and  others, 
just  as  frequently,  which  fall  below  them.  It  is  very  difficult  to  make  statements  of 
this  kind  which  will  not  be  subject,  perhaps  justly,  to  criticism  from  partisans  of  the 
several  breeds;  but  it  has  been  my  aim  to  give  what  I  believe  to  be  the  truth,  regard- 
less of  whose  shoulders  it  may  strike  most  heavily. 

The  statements  regarding  ease  of  acclimation  in  the  fever  belt,  are  made  after  a 
very  careful  study  of  the  subject  for  the  past  five  years,  and  an  extensive  correspond- 
ence with  breeders  and  importers  of  northern  bred  stock — especially  cattle — in  the 
states  bordering  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

It  is  believed  that  full  credit  has  been  given  for  every  quotation;  but  I  desire  to 
make  especial  mention  of  the  Agricultural  Press — from  many  papers  I  have  quoted 
— from  all,  derived  something  of  value  which  has  aided  me  in  my  work.  The  follow- 
ing list,  while  it  does  not  include  all,  represents  most  of  the  periodicals,  devoted 
wholly  or  in  part  to  live  stock,  to  which  I  am  in  any  way  indebted :  Turf^  Field  and 
Farm,    New    York;    Breeder's    Gazette,   Chicago;    National  Live-Stock    Journal, 

^A  "J  ( 


\ 


IV  PREFACE. 

Chicago;  American  Agriculturist^  New  York;  Western  Agriculturist^  Quincy,  111.; 
Canadian  Live  Stock  your?ial^  Hamilton,  Ont.,  Canada;  American  Sheep  Breeder^ 
Chicago;  Herds  and  Flecks^  Chicago;  Hoard's  Dairymati^  Fort  Atkinson,  Wis.; 
Spirit  of  the  Times  ^  New  York;  Country  Gentleman,  Albany,  N.  Y. ;  Rural  New - 
Torker^  New  York ;  Southern  Cultivator^  Atlanta,  Ga. ;  American  Farmer^  Fort 
Wayne,  Ind. ;  Farm  and  Hotne^  Springfield,  Mass. ;  Breeder's  yournal^  Beecher,  III. ; 
Texas  Farm  and  Ranch^  Dallas;  Texas  Live- Stock  JournaL  Fort  Worth;  and  the 
Texas  Stockman  and  Farmer^  of  San  Antonio. 

To  many  breeders  I  am  indebted  for  information  respecting  various  matters  of 
interest,  and  to  each  I  would  express  my  appreciation  of  the  aid  thus  kindly  given. 
Among  others  to  whom  I  am  indebted  in  a  personal  way,  I  can  not  fail  to  mention 
my  father,  Lyman  J.  Curtis;  to  the  early  training  on  the  farm,  under  his — at  times 
severely  strict— direction,  I  owe  much  of  whatever  I  have  since  been  able  to  accom- 
plish; the  later  instruction  of  ray  valued  friend.  Professor  S.  A.  KnajDp,  is  remembered 
with  pleasure  and  profit.  Of  more  immediate  imjDortance,  has  been  the  faithful  assist- 
ance of  my  wife ;  without  her  aid,  relieving  me  from  all  details  of  correspondence  and 
clerical  work,  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  publish  this  volume  for  at  least  another 
year.  To  my  co-worker.  Professor  F.  A.  Gulley,  I  am  indebted  for  valuable  sugges- 
tions; to  Professor  Louis  L.  Mclnnis,  Chairman  of  oiu*  Faculty,  for  various  courtesies; 
and  to  my  assistant,  Mr.  J.  F.  Duggar,  and  Foreman  of  Farm,  Mr.  J.  H.  Alsworth, 
I  return  thanks  for  relief  from  routine  work  which  would  otherwise  have  required  my 
personal  attention. 

THE    AUTHOR. 

State  Agrl.  and  Mechl.  College, 

College  Station,  Tex. 

August,  1888. 


OONT-EISTS. 


PART    FIRST 


THE   DIFFERENT  BREEDS  OF   HORSES. 


CHAPTER  I. 


Percherons 


CHAPTKR  II. 


French  Draft 


CHAPTER  III. 


Belgians 


CHAPTER  I\' 


Clydesdales  

CHAPTER  v. 

English  Shires 22 

chapter  vi. 

Suffolk  Punch  

chapter  vii. 
Cleveland  Bays  


CHAPTER  VIII. 


French  Coach 


GE 
8 

CHAPTER  IX. 

PAGB 

33 

1^ 

CH.VPTER  X. 

42 

15 

CHAPTER  XI. 
Orloff  Trotters          .             .    .    . 

64 

17 

CHAPTER  XII. 

64 

9,9. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
Welsh  Ponies 

66 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
ExMOOR  Ponies 67 


CH.\PTER  X\\ 


Mexican  Ponie.'- 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


Indian  Ponies. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 
Hints  on  Selection,  Care  and  Management 


PART    SECOND. 


CHAPTER  X\III, 
Holstein-Friesians  


THE  DIFFERENT  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE 

PACE  CHAPTER  XXVII. 


Jerseys. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

CHAPTER  XX. 
Guernsey's 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
Ayrshires 

CHAPTER  XXH. 

Dutch-Belted 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
American    Ho.lderness 


CHAPTER  XXI\', 


Brown  Swi« 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


Brittanies 


CH.VPTER  XXVI. 


Kerries 


86 
91 
93 
98 
102 
105 
108 
110 


■AGE 

113 


Shorthorns 

CHAPTER  XXVHI. 

Red  Polled 120 

chapter  xxix. 

Devons 124 

chapter  xxx. 

longhorns 128 

chapter  xxxi. 
normandies 130 

cii.xpter  xxxii. 
North-Wales-Black 133 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 
Pemurokes 136 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 
Herekords 137 

CHAPTER  XXX\-. 
Galloways 144 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI.  page 

Aberdeen-Angus 148 

chapter  xxxvii. 

Sussex  152 

chapter  xxxvhi. 

SiMMENTHAL 154 


CHAPTER  XXXIX.  page 

Brahmins  (Zebu) 157 

CHAPTER    XL. 

West-Highlands 160 

chapter  xli. 
Texans 164 


CHAPTER    XLII. 

Hints  on  Selection,  Care  and  Management 


166 


PART    THIRD 


THE  DIFFERENT  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP. 


CHAPTER   XLIII.  page 

Merinos 176 

Atwoods 182 

Paulars 183 

Dickinsons 186 

Black   Tops 188 

Delaines 191 

chapter  xliv. 
Horned-Dorsets 


CHAPTER   XLV. 


Cheviots 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 


Southdowns 


193 
195 
197 


CHAPTER   XLVII.  p.\ge 

Shropshires 200 


CHAPTER   XLVin. 


Hampshires 


CHAPTER    XLIX. 


Oxfordshires 


CHAPTER    L. 


CoTS  wolds. 


CHAPTER   LI. 


Leicesters 


203 
206 
208 
212 


CHAPTER    LII. 
Lincolns 215 


CHAPTER    LIII. 
Hints  on  Selection,  Care  and  Management 


219 


PART    FOURTH 


THE  DIFFERENT  BREEDS  OF  SWINE. 


Poland-Chinas 

chapter  lvi. 
DuROC -Jerseys 

CHAPTER    LVII. 
Chester-Whites 

CHAPTER    LVIII. 
Todd's  Improved  Chester- Whites. 

chapter  lix. 
Gothlands  

CHAPTER    LX. 

Curtis-Victorias 


PAGE 

240 


242 


CHAPTER   LIV.  page  CHAPTER    LXI. 

Berkshires 226      Davis-Victorias 

CHAPTER   LV.  CHAPTER    LXII. 

Cheshires 

chapter.  lxih. 
Small  Yorkshires 244 

CHAPTER   LXIV. 

235      Essex 247 

CHAPTER   LXV. 

237      Neapolitans 249 

chapter  lxvi. 

239      English,  or  Black  Suffolks 249 

chapter  lxvii. 

American,  or  White  Suffolks 250 

CHAPTER   LXVIII. 
Hints  on  Selection,  Care  and  Management 251 


PA]?T    FIl^SX. 


HORSES, 


DRAFT  BREEDS. 


Percherons Chapter  I 

French  Dbaft 

Belgians 

Clydesdales 

English  Shires 

Suffolk  Punch 


II 12 

III 15 

IV  17 

V  22 

VI  25 


HEAVY  CARRIAGE  BREEDS. 

Cleveland  Bays Chapter  VII 27 

French  Coach "       VIII  30 

RUNNING  BREEDS. 

Thoroughbreds Chapter  IX  33 

TROTTING  BREEDS. 

American  Trotters Chapter  X 42 

Orloff  Trotters "       XI 64 

SMALL  OR  PONY  BREEDS. 

Shetland  Ponies Chapter  XII 64 

Welsh  Ponies "       XIII 66 

ExMOOR  Ponies "       XIV 67 

Mexican  Ponies  (Mustangs) "       XV  67 

Indian  Ponies "       XVI 69 

HINTS  ON  SELECTION,   CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT. 

Chapter  XVII 73 


4S# 


PERCHERONS. 


CHAPTER    I. 


PERCHERON  S. 

The  Percheron  is  an  old  French  breed,  long  noted  for  rapid  and  effective  draft 
work,  and  always  supposed  to  owe  much  of  its  excellence  to  Eastern  blood.  When 
steps  were  taken  to  compile  the  Percheron  Stud  Book  of  France,  careful  enquiry 
revealed  a  much  greater  predominance  of  Arabian  blood  than  had  been  previously 
claimed. 

It  was  then  .found  that— as  Mr.  Sanders,  in  his  treatise  on  Horse  Breeding, 
puts  it — 

"  What  the  Darley  Arabian  was  to  the  English  Thoroughbred,  and  the  gray  Arabian  Smetanxa 
to  the  Orloff,  the  gray/Arabian  Gallipoli  has  been  to  the  Percheron  horse  of  France." 

DuHays  (American  Translation  of  the  Percheron  Horse),  after  expressing  his 
belief  in  its  descent  irom  Arabian  blood,  says: 

"We  cannot,  however,  find  in  history,  the  written  positive  proof  that  the  Percheron  is  an 
Arab,  but  we  believe  it  easy  by  fair  historical  deduction,  to  prove  what  he  is  in  fact." 

The  same  author,  speaking  of  the  improvement  of  the  breed,  states  that: 

"The  Percherons  must  have  been  especially  modified  by  contact  with  the  breed  of  Brittany, 
where  their  striking  characteristics  are  now  met  with  in  a  large  number  of  individuals." 

In  Volume  I,  of  the  American  Percheron  Stud  Book,  we  find  this  statement: 

"  Aside  from  the  history  and  traditions  of  the  country,  the  Percheron  horse  himself  furnishes 
unmistakable  evidence  in  his  form,  disposition,  color  and  general  characteristics,  that  he  is  closely 
allied  to  the  Arab." 

Again,  from  the  same  source,  we  quote: 

"As  the  immense  draft  horses  of  the  North  (Flemish)  were  closely  allied  to,  if  not  identical 
with,  the  large  breed  that  prevailed  in  Normandy  and  La  Perche,  prior  to  the  modification  produced 
by  the  introduction  of  the  blood  of  the  Arabian  and  the  Baib,  heretofore  alluded  to,  it  was  very 
natural,  that,  when  the  Percheron  breeders  found  it  desirable  to  increase  the  size  of  their  horses,  their 
eyes  should  be  curned  toward  this  kindred  race,  from  which  other  countries  had  already  drawn  so 
heavily  for  the  same  purpose.  Accordingly  we  find  that  mares  in  large  numbers  were  taken  from 
these  northern  departments,  and  from  Belgium,  under  the  various  names  of  Belgians,  Boulonnais, 
Mares  of  Picardy,  etc.,  and  were  bred  to  the  stallions  of  La  Perche.  Stallions  from  the  same  country 
were  also  extensively  introduced,  under  various  names  and  of  slightly  differing  types.  But,  notwith- 
standing the  multiplicity  of  names  arising  from  the  different  departments  in  which  they  had  been 
bred,  and  the  slight  variation  in  form  that  existed,  they  were,  after  all,  nothing  more  nor  less  than 
the  Flanders  Draft  Horse — the  same  blood  that  had  already  exercised  so  potent  an  influence  upon 
the  horse  stock  of  Great  Britain." 

To  sum  up  then,  briefly,  there  is  ample  proof  of  the  use  of  the  celebrated  Arabian 
stallions  (both  gray)  Godolphin  and  Gallipoli,  in  the  formation  of  the  Percheron 
breed ;  and  there  is  little  doubt  that — like  the  heavy  British  breeds — it  owes  its  superior 
size  to  crosses  with  the  large  horse  of  Flanders. 

Importations  to  the  United  States  of  what  are  now  claimed  to  have  been  Perch- 


PERCHEKONS. 


M,U 


i.. 


10  I'EKCHERONS. 

cioiis,  were  made  as  early  as  1851,  but  thcv  were  called  simply  French  Horses.  In 
1866  Mr,  W.  S.  Ficklin,  of  Charlottesville,  Va.,  imported  several  Percheron  horses 
under  their  proper  name;  and  in  1868  William  T.  Walters,  of  Baltimore,  returninj^ 
from  France,  after  a  sojourn  of  several  years,  brought  with  him  a  considerable  number 
of  these  horses;  he  also  caused  to  be  translated  and  published  that  interesting  little 
work  the   "  Percheron  Horse,"  b}'  Du  Hays,  from  which  we  ha\  e  quoted. 

And  now  a  word  in  regard  to  the  Perchero-Norman  controversv.  In  1854,  one 
of  the  stallions  imported  in  1851,  under  the  name  of  French  Horses,  was  sold  to 
Messrs.  Dillon  iS:  Co.,  of  Normal,  111.  This  horse  was  exhibited  with  many  colts  of 
his  get  at  county  and  state  fairs,  under  the  name  "Norman,"  and  soon  obtained  a  high 
degree  of  favor  among  horsemen  of  Illinois  and  neighboring  States.  In  this  way 
began  the  confusion  of  names  which  has  continued  more  or  less  unabated  until  within 
the  past  few  years,  and  is,  e\en  now,  a  matter  of  considerable  uncertainty  and  vexa- 
tion. When  the  first  steps  were  taken  to  form  an  American  Stud  Book  in  1876,  it 
was  proposed  to  adopt  the  name  '•'•  Norman."  For  reasons  which  he  considered  satis- 
factorv,  Mr.  Sanders,  Secretary  of  the  Association,  changed  the  name  to  "  Percheron 
Norman  Stud  Book,"  the  Association  afterward  ratifying  the  change.  Many  breeders 
of  French  horses,  however,  were  in  favor  of  the  term  Norman,  and  accordinglx 
withdrew  from  the  offending  society  and  began  the  publication  of  the  National 
Register  of  Norman  Horses;  all  draft  horses  imported  from  France  being  eligible 
for  record.  There  ^vas,  if  such  were  possible,  greater  confusion  than  before,  llie 
names  Norman,  Norman-Percheron,  Percheron-Norman,  Percheron  and  French 
Draft,  olitaining  equal  prominence,  and,  indeed,  were  used  inteichangealih  as  svnonv- 
mous  terms  for  the  same  breed. 

In  1SS8,  the  SocKf'e^  Hip  pique  Percho)inc  was  organized  in  France,  and  the  Per- 
cheron Norman  Sfecietr  immediately,  and  wisely,  aclopted  the  name  by  which  the 
breed  is  recognized  in  its  native  country.  The  name  was  thus  changed  to  the  Per- 
cheron Society,  and  their  record,  the  Percheron  Stud  Book  of  .Vmerica.  Thus  the 
matter  of  nomenclature  rests  for  the  present ;  eacli  breed  has  its  partisans;  both  are 
\aluable.  \\'hile  we  do  not  propose  to  decide  between  them,  yet  we  cannot  forbear 
noticing  this  fact:  the  Norman  Register  admits  all  draft  horses  imported  from  France. 
The  Percheron  Societ\-  recjuires  that  all  animals  imported  after  January'  1st,  1884, 
must  be  recorded  in  the  Percheron  vStud  Book  of  France.  The  value  of  this  restric- 
tion, in  preserving  tlie  j^iirity  of  the  Percheron  breed,  is  at  once  apparent,  and  can- 
not fail  to  attract  faxorable  notice  from  all  lovers  of  thoroughbred  stock. 

I)j:SCItIl'TI().\     AND    CIIAKACTERISTICS  : 

Color  \aries,  gra\-  mosth  dappled  -predominating,  while  there  are  man}-  pure 
blacks  and  ba\s,  and  all  shades  of  grav,  from  the  darkest  iron  to  almost  pure  white. 
The  b<)d\-  is  low,  sepiare,  and  full  in  all  points,  with  magnificent  head,  and  a  neck 
which,  for  beauty,  would  not  disgrace  the  proudest  of  Barbs.  Legs  are  short  in 
proportion,  and  while  \eiy  massi\  e,  are  yet  Hue  and  close  knit.  Percheron  breeders 
claim  almost  perfect  immunity  from  bone  and  leg  diseases,  such  as  ring-bone,  splint, 
wind-galls,  etc.  C)ui-  own  experience  with  the  breed,  particularly  with  the  half 
blood  colts  from  nati\e  mares,  has  not  justified  an  admission  of  this  claim,  and  we  feel 


PERCHERONS. 


11 


12  FRENCH    DRAFT    (nORMAn). 

compelled  to  state  that  some  breeders,  and  many  Avho  have  used  the  Percheron 
grades  for  heavy  farm  or  other  work,  have  expressed  a  belief  that  the  Percherons  are 
even  more  subject  to  these  troubles  than  some  of  the  other  breeds. 

The  Percheron  is  a  draft  breed,  mature  stallions  weighing  from  1600  to  2100 
or  2200  pounds,  and  their  get  from  ordinary  mares  weighing  from  1200  to  1700  or 
1800  pounds,  when  grown.  They  are  quick,  active  and  intelligent.  Some  have 
thought  them  vicious,  and  we  have  known  a  number  of  ill-tempered  representatives 
of  the  breed;  but  it  is  more  than  likely  that  the  troublesome  temper  was  caused  by 
unskillful  or  "vicious"  grooms.  Quite  a  number  have  been  brought  to  Texas  from 
Northern  States,  and  some  imported  direct  from  France;  while  thev  stand  the 
climate  as  well  as  any  of  the  large  breeds,  yet  we  cannot  say — as  do  some  of  their 
partisan  breeders — that  they  acclimate  with  perfect  safety. 

Our  illustrations,  kindly  furnished  by  Mr.  Dunham,  of  Oak  Lawn  Farm, 
Wayne,  111.,  represent  Brilliant,  perhaps  the  most  noted  draft  stallion  ever  imported 
to  America,  and  Adelaide,  one  of  Mr.  Dunham's  finest  mares.  "  Oak  Lawn "  is  one 
of  the  largest  breeding  establishments  in  the  world,  and  its  owner  spares  neither 
time   nor   expense   to   keep  up  and  constantly  improve  the  qualitv  of  his  stud. 


CHAPTER    II, 


FRENX^H    DRAFT    (NORMAN). 

From  the  chapter  on  Percherons  will  be  gathered  somewhat  of  the  author's 
ideas  as  to  the  name  and  present  status  of  the  Norman  or  French  Draft.  As  there 
stated,  the  term  French  Draft  includes  not  only  the  Percheron,  but  also  the  other 
heavv  families,  or  breeds,  of  French  It^'ses.  We  can  see  much  good  sense  and  con- 
siderable necessity  in  perpetuating  th^  i-egisti-y  of  French  Draft  horses;  many  have 
been,  and  are  still  being,  imported  to  the  United  States,  which  are  not  eligible  to 
record  in  the  Percheron  Stud  Book,  by  reason  only  of  nativity  in  another  province 
than  Perche  ;  and  many  of  these  horses  stand  as  individuals,  and  produce  a  progenv 
second  to  none  of  the  modern  draft  breeds.  The  National  Register  of  Norman 
Horses  admits  all  draft  horses  of  thorough  French  blood,  no  matter  to  what  breed 
or  family  they  may  belong.  We  can  see  no  just  cause  for  the  apparently  intermin- 
able wrangle  between  those  who  set  themselves  up  as  champions  of,  and  authoritA- 
on,  respectively,  the  French  Draft  and  Percheron  breeds.  The  former  includes  the 
latter,  and  the  latter  is  now  undoubtedly  more  closely  bred  and  limited  as  to  registry 
than  the  former.  There  is  no  foundation  that  we  can  see  for  claiming  that  any  breed 
should  have  exclusive  credit  for  improvement  in  American  draft  horses,  and  there 
is  no  doubt  that  very  many  of  the  French  Draft  horses  now  in  the  United  States 
have  no  superior  among  even  the  most  select  Percherons. 

The  precise  origin  of  the  French  Draft  horse  would  be  hard  to  trace;  so  many 
strains   or  families,  all   bred   out   from   a   common  center,  and   improved   in  whatever 


FRENCH    DRAFT    (NORMAX.) 


13 


■IIIIIlN  i'  li'? 


14 


FRENCH     DRAFT    (NORMAN). 


BELGIAN    DRAFT.  15 

direction  l)cst  suitetl  the  demands  of  any  peculiar  locality,  would  naturally  tend  to 
break  somewhat  the  line  of  descent.  According  to  Youatt,  who  wrote  in  1831,  the 
Province  of  Normandy  was  the  one  most  noted  at  that  time  for  its  horses,  the 
French  Goyernment  buying  annually  from  the  Xorman  stock  for  use  in  the  other 
provinces. 

Prof.  Low,  in  his  great  work  on  the  Domestic  Animals  of  Great  Britain,  pub- 
lished 1842,  noted  the  same  facts,  and  attributed  it  tt)  the  better  grass  and  food  con- 
ditions found  in  this  province.  All  the  heavy  horses  of  the  continent,  and  through 
these,  of  the  British  Islands,  may  be  traced  to  the  low,  rich  regions  of  Middle  and 
Southwest  Europe.  The  old  Black  Horse  of  Flanders,  doubtless,  owed  his  great 
size  to  these  natural  conditions  of  vegetation,  and  may  very  properly  be  considered 
a  soi-t  of  mile-post—  a  stepping  stone — between  the  horses  left  in  that  countr\-  l)y 
the  warlike  nations  of  Northeast  Europe  in  the  frequent  invasions  west  and  south- 
ward, and  the  modern  draft  horses  of  France. 

The  first  importation  of  Norman  horses  to  the  United  States  was  made  about 
1889,  but  not  until  1850-60  were  many  imported  to  the  Western  States;  since  that 
time,  howe\er,  they  have  become  widely  and  favorably  known.  In  the  South  they 
are   better   known   than  the  Perchcrons  and  do  as  well  in  all  respects. 

The  National  Norman  Horse  Association,  organized  in  187(),  was,  in  1.S84, 
changed  to,  and  incorporated  as,  the  National  French  Draft  Horse  Association.  C. 
E.  Stubbs,  of  Fairfield,  la.,  is  the  present  Secretary. 

I)1:SCKIPTI()X     AND    CIIAHACTERISTICS  : 

As  bred  and  known  in  the  United  States,  there  is  so  little  difference  between  the 
French  Draft  and  the  Percheron,  as  to  preclude  any  necessit\-  for  statement,  other  than 
has  been  already  gi\en  in  the  preceding  chapter  (which  see).  The  only  point  to 
which  attention  may  l)e  called  is  that  there  appears  to  be  a  wider  diversity  in  color, 
and  a  greater  variation  from  type  among  French  Draft  than  among  Percheron  horses. 
In  this  connection,  compare,  also,  the  illustrations  of  French  Draft  and  Percheron 
horses,  all  of  which  have  been  carefully  selected  as  representative  animals  of  the 
breeds  in  question. 


CHAPTER    III. 


BELGIAN    DRAFT. 


A  comparati\ely  new  lireed  to  Amei'ica,  but  one  w  hicli  is  earning  marked  dis- 
tinction on  merit  alone.  The  Belgian  Draft  is  a  direct  descendant  of  the  original  i^lack 
Horse  of  Flanders,  and  has  been  developed  in  unison  with  his  neighbor  breed,  the 
Boulonnais;  indeed  the  latter  bids  fair  to  become  a  member,  part  and  parcel  of  the 
former.  There  has  been  more  or  less  activity  among  Belgian  importers  to  the  United 
States  since   about   LSTO.      Dr.  A.  G.  \^an   Iloorebeke,  of   Monmouth,  111.,  was  prob- 


16 


BELGIAN    DRAFT. 


CLYDESDALES.  17 

ably  the  first  to  import,  and  liis  early  importations  in  1866  and  next  succeeding  years 
were  called  Boulonnais.  Of  late  years,  however,  Belgium  has  insisted,  and  rightly, 
on  giving  her  name  to  her  peculiar  horse  stock,  and  the  Doctor's  later  importations, 
as  well  as  those  of  Messrs.  Massion  &  Son,  of  ]Minonk,  111.,  and  other  reliable  im- 
2Dorters,  have  been  under  the  name  by  which  they  are  now  recognized. 

The  American  Association  of  Importers  and  Breeders  of  Belgian  Draft  Horses 
was  organized  in  1877,  with  J.  D.  Conner,  Jr.,  of  Wabash,  Ind.,  Secretarv.  All  draft 
horses  imported  from  Belgium  prior  to  January  1st,  1888,  on  satisfactory  proof  of 
same,  are  eligible  to  registry.  Any  horse  imported  from  Belgium  after  January  1st, 
1888,  is  not  eligible  to  registry,  unless  previoush'  registered  in  the  Government  Reg- 
ister of  Belgium,  known  as  the  Society  of  Belgian  Stock .  Farmers.  Animals  bred  in 
the  United  States  from  registered  sires  and  dams,  are  eligible  to  registrv  under  the 
rather  peculiar  caption:    "Native  Full-Bloods." 

DESCRIPTION    AND     CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color,  generally  bay  or  brown-black,  but  sorrel,  roan  and  other  colors  are  occa- 
sionally found.  In  size,  they  are  about  equal  to  the  Percheron,  perhaps  somewhat 
larger,  say  an  average  of  from  1,650  to  2,200  lbs.  for  mature  stallions.  The  head  is 
small  and  close  fleshed;  the  neck,  short  and  \cr\-  powerful;  chest,  wide  and  deep; 
back,  short  and  broad,  full  over  the  kidnevs;  hips,  long;  legs,  short  with  wide  flat 
bone,  heavy  muscle,  and  feet  of  proverbial  soundness.  As  compared  with  the  Per- 
cherons,  thev  are  more  compact — "blockv" — and  more  nearlv  round  in  the  bodv,  but, 
withal,  resemble  them  so  closely  in  many  points  as  to  warrant  a  second  look,  from 
e\en    an    expert,  before   passing  judgment  as  to  lirced    of   the   animal  in  question. 

The  subject  of  our  illustration  is  a  t\  pical  Belgian,  and  the  fact  that  he  was 
selected  by  the  elder  Massion  (who  attends  personallv  to  all  selections  for  impor- 
tation)  is   a   sufficient  guaranty  of  his  excellence  in  the  breed  to  which  he  belongs. 


CHAPTER    IV. 


CLYDESDALES. 

Like  the  Percheron,  the  French  Draft,  and  in  fact  all  of  the  other  Draft  Breeds, 
the  Clvdesdale  owes  its  original  merit  to  the  Black  Horse  of  Flanders — a  lineal 
descendant  of  the  great  Black  Horse  of  Northern  Europe',  which,  according  to  Prof. 
Low,  inhabited  "in  the  wild  state,  the  vast  regions  of  marsh  and  forest,  which 
stretched  all  through  Europe  to  the  Euxine  [Black]  Sea."  The  first  mention  we 
have  of  large  horses  in  Scotland,  is  found  in  a  particular  edict  of  "Safe  Conduct" 
from  King  Edward  I.  issued  1352,  and  referring  to  "ten  large  horses"  which  were 
lo  be  taken  to  Tcviotdale.  Although  it  is  not  definitely  stated  whence  these  horses 
came,  vet  from  the  fact  that  the  edict  was  obtained  b\-  the  Earl  of  Douglas,  it  mav  be 


18 


CLYDESDAI.ES. 


i'ii'fl'l 

.*lfc^ 

illll 

'm 

CLYDESDALES.  19 

reasonably  inferred  that  the  liorses  were  taken  from  Douj^his  Castle  in  the  upper 
portion  of  Lanarkshire,  otherwise  termed  Clydesdale;  and  from  the  additional  faet, 
that  the  Earl  of  Douglas  was  an  ancestor  of  that  famous  breeder  of  Clydesdales,  the 
Duke  of  Hamilton,  we  may  reasonably  suppose  that  these  "ten  large  horses"  were 
an  important  factor  in  laying  the  foundation  of  the  original  Lanarkshire  breed. 

And  now  in  relation  to  the  use  of  the  Black  Horse  of  Flanders,  we  haye  the 
following  from  the  retrospectiye  \'cjlume  of  the  Clydesdale  Stud  Book  : 

"Some  time  between  1715  and  1720,  John  Paterson,  of  Lochljoch,  on  the  estate  and  in  the 
Parish  of  Carmichael,  grandson  of  one  John  Paterson  who  died  at  Lochlyoch  in  1682,  went  to  Eng- 
land and  brought  from  thence  a  Flemish  slallion,  which  is  said  to  have  so  greatly  improved  the  breed 
in  the  Upper  Ward,  as  to  have  made  them  noted  all  over  Scotland." 

From  the  same  authority  we  quote  : 

"The  Lochljoch  mares  were  generally  browns  and  blacks  with  white  faces  and  a  little  white  on 
their  legs;  they  had  gray  hairs  in  their  tails,  occasionally  gray  hairs  over  their  bodies,  and  invariably 
a  white  spot  on  their  belly,  this  latter  being  recognized  as  a  mark  of  distinct  purity  of  blood."' 

There  can  be  little  doubt  of  the  presence  of  Flemish  blood  in  the  present  Clydes- 
dale race.  But  we  are  strongly  inclined  to  giye  credit,  not  so  much  to  the  heayy, 
clumsy  Black  Horse,  as  to  the  infusion  of  some  lighter  but  stronger  blood,  which  has 
gi\en  to  the  breed  its  well-known  courage  and  action,  in  marked  contrast  to  the  slug- 
gish moyements  of  the  old  Cart  or  Lincoln  horse  of  England.  The  colors  of  the 
Lochlyoch  mares-  the  last  of  w  hich  died  out  some  thirt\-H\e  years  ago  considered 
in  connection  with  the  predominant  l)a\-  color  of  modern  Clydesdales,  would  point 
toward  the  old  Cle\eland  horse  as  a  j^roliable  factor  in  improyement,  and  this  \iew 
is  strengthened  by  many  clnaracteristics  common  to  lioth  breeds. 

The  name  of  the  breed,  CKdesdale,  would  indicate  its  restriction  to  that  particular 
locality,  but  these  horses  were  yery  generally  bred  in  other  portions  of  Scotland,  and 
obtained  their  name  solely  from  the  fact  that,. in  Clydesdale,  they  were  earlier  brought 
to  a  high  degree  of  merit  and  pushed  into  more  prominent  notice. 

Importation  to  America,  both  Canada  and  the  United  States,  has  lieen  actiye 
and  long  continued.  Through  the  kindness  of  Mr.  C.  F.  Mills,  Springfield,  111.,  the 
present  Secretary  of  the  Association,  we  are  enabled  to  giye  the  following  list  com- 
jjrising  all  of  the  early  importations  of  Clydes: 

"  In  1842,  Gray  Clyde  78,  was  imported  by  Archibald  Ward,  of  Markham,  Ontario. 

1815,  Sovereign  181,  was  imported  by  R.Johnson,  Scarboro,  Ont. 

1847,  Marquis  of  Clyde  101,  was  imported  by  Thomas  Summerville,  Whitby,  Ontario. 

1850,  Cumberland  106  was  imported  by  David  Roundtree,  Jr.,  Weston,  Ontario. 

1854,  Bay  Wallace  5,  was  imported  by  William  Cochrane,  Claremont,  Ontario. 

1855,  Clydesdale  Jock  33,  was  imported  by  John  R.  Torrence,  of  Markham,  Ontario,  and  Jock  of 
the  Side  760,  by  Simon  Conner,  of  Markham,  Ontario. 

1856,  Merry  Farmer  20,  was  imported  by  Mrs.  A.  Ward,  of  Markham,  Ont.,  and  Byron  197, 
by  James  Dalziel,  of  Chesterfield,  Ont. 

1857,  Rob  Roy  90,  by  Thomas  Irving,  Montreal,  Quebec;  and  Black  Douglas  27,  by  William 
Miller,  Pickering,  Ontario.  Prior  to  1860  a  number  of  very  choice  Clydesdale  stallions  were  im- 
ported into  Ohio  by  Fulling'on  &  Co.,  none  of  which  have  been  recorded.'' 

Since  1800  their  introduction  has  been  \er\  rapid,  and  the  number  lired  in 
America  has  more  than  kept  pace  with  imported  stock. 

The  Ch'desdale  Society  of  America  was  organized   in  1S77,  and  the  first  xo'lume 


20 


CLYDESDALES. 


CLYDESDALES.  21 

of  the  American  Clydesdale  Stud  Book,  was  issued  in  188'i;  imported  animals,  to  be 
eligible,  must  be  recorded  in  the  Clydesdale  Stud  Book  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland ; 
and  American  bred  stallions  or  mares  must  trace  to  recorded  sires  or  dams,  or  have 
four  or  five  recorded  top  crosses. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS    OF    MODERN    CLYDESDALE: 

Color,  either  bav,  brown  or  black,  with  usually  a  white  strip  in  the  face — "blaze" 
— and  more  or  less  white  on  the  feet  and  lower  jiarts  of  th.e  legs;  occasional! \-  there 
is  found  a  dun,  chestnut,  or  even  sorrel.  The  color  which  may  be  called  peculiar  to 
the  breed,  is  a  light  bay,  fading  to  still  lighter  bay  at  the  flanks,  between  the  thighs, 
and  forward  on  the  belly  line.  In  size  they  are  classed  with  the  large  breeds,  stal- 
lions ranging  from  1700  to  2100  pounds,  and  mares  from  1200  to  1600  pounds.  In 
appearance  the  Clvdcsdale  horse  is  a  large,  tall,  rangy  animal,  with  a  long  head; 
medium  neck;  strong  legs,  heavily  fringed  with  hair  below  the  knee;  and  long  slant- 
ing shoulders — the  latter,  a  point  well  worth  noticing  as  inclining  toward  greater 
activity  than  is  usual  with  the  large  breeds. 

As  compared  with  the  Percheron  or  the  French  Draft,  the  Clydesdale  horse  is 
longer  legged,  longer  bodied,  and  of  more  quiet  temperament.  Our  observation  and 
experience  with  the  half  blood  colts  from  native  mares,  fully  bear  out  the  assertion 
that  they  are,  almost  without  exception,  kind,  cpiiet,  intelligent  and  easily  broken. 
One  very  prominent  characteristic  is  their  naturally  fast  walk.  The  American  far- 
mer is  not  slow  to  appreciate  the  superior  value  of  a  team  that  will  plow  three 
acres  of  ground  in  a  day,  as  against  one  that  with  the  same  plow,  will  turn  but  two 
acres;  and  this  fact  has  done  much  to  advance  the  interests  of  the  Clvdcsdale  in 
America.  The  tendenc\'  of  late  to  widen  the  breach  between  Clvdesdales  and 
English  Shires  has  induced  breeders  of  the  former  to  look  more  to  appearance  and 
action,  and  gradually  lower  the  average  in  weight  thus  leaving  to  breeders  of  the 
latter  a  market  demand  for  great  weight  and  appearance,  with  action  somewhat  in 
the  back  ground. 

A  point  to  which  many  object  is  the  fringe  of  long  hair  at  the  fetlock  alreadv 
referred  to;  the  olijection,  ]i()we\  er  well  founded,  has  caused  certain  breeders  ?to 
attempt  a  reduction  of  the  characteristic — with  what  success,  remains  to  be  seen. 
In  the  South,  the  Clvdes  are,  perhaps,  not  so  well  known  us  the  French  Draft;  but 
the  few  shipments  made  are  said  to  have  done  remarkably  well.  It  is  claimed,  indeed, 
that  no  other  horse  of  the  heavy  breeds  can  so  well  endure  the  Southern  climate. 

The  engravings  give  an  accurate  idea  of  representative  Clydesdales,  and  illus- 
trate at  the  same  time  the  superior  character  of  Galbraith  Brothers'  stud. 


22  ENGLISH    SHIRES. 


CHAPTER    V. 


ENGLISH    SHIRES. 

From  the  preceding-  chapter  on  Clydesdales,  we  have  st^en  that  all  of  the 
modern  draft  breeds  are  descended  from  the  great  Black  Horse  of  Northern  Europe? 
with  such  modifications  as  different  soils,  vegetation,  climate  and  care  would  induce. 
Referring  to  this  breed,  Prof.  Low,  of  Edinburgh  (already  quoted),  writing  in  1842, 
after  speaking  of  its  occupying  the  entire  west  and  southwest  portions  of  the 
mainland,  says: 

"The  same  widely-spread  race  extends  into  Ensjland,  where  it  presents  itself  with  the  same 
general  characters  as  in  the  ancient  countries  of  the  Belgic  Gauls,  the  Batavi,  the  Frisiandones,  and 
others.  It  is  found  in  numbers  from  the  Humber  to  the  Cam,  occupying  the  rich  fens  of  Lincoln 
and  Cambridge,  and  extending  westward  through  the  Counties  of  Huntingdon,  Northampton, 
Leicester,  Nottingham,  Derby,  Warwick  and  Stafford  to  the  Severn.  Although  most  abundant  in 
districts  of  rich  pastures,  it  has  extended  northward,  and  very  widely  southward  into  the  counties  of 
the  Chalk,  retaining  the  typical  characters,  but  varied  with  the  climate,  food,  and  other  circum- 
stances affecting  its  culture  and  condition.  In  the  commons  and  poorer  grounds  it  presents  the 
coarse  pack-horse  form,  distinctive  of  the  greater  part  of  the  older  horses  of  England.  But  in  the 
fens  and  richer  cultivated  country,  it  attains  the  strength  and  stature  of  the  largest  horses  which  the 
world  produces." 

From  these  early  horses,  then,  ha\e  descended  the  modern  vShires  of  England; 
but  we  must  look  further,  muler  the  head  of  impi-o\ement,  to  find  how  the  unwield\- 
giant  Lincolnshire  or  Black  Cart-horse  was  finallv  moulded  into  the  handsome,  large 
but  fairly  acti\-e  horse  now  known  as  English  Shire.  Of  the  first  improvement,  we 
get  a  good  idea  from   Youatt  (on  the  Horse),  1861,  who  savs: 

"All  our  heavy  draft  horses,  and  some  even  of  the  lighter  kind,  have  been  lately  much  crossed 
by  the  Flanders  breed,  and  with  evident  improvement.  Little  has  been  lost  in  depth  and  bulk  of 
carcase;  but  the  fore  hand  has  been  raised,  the  legs  have  been  flattened  and  deepened,  and  very  much 
has  been  gained  in  activity.  The  slow,  heavy  black,  with  his  2>4  miles  an  hour,  has  been  changed 
into  a  lighter  but  yet  exceedingly  powerful  horse,  that  will  step  four  miles  in  the  same  time,  and 
with  perfect  ease,  and  has  considerably  more  endurance.  *  *  *  As  the  Racer  is  principally  or 
purely  of  Eastern  origin,  so  has  the  English  Draft  horse  sprung  chiefly  from  Flemish  blood,  and  to 
that  blood  the  agriculturist  has  recourse  for  the  perfection  of  the  breed." 

During  late  years,  the  improvement  of  the  vShire  has  been  \  cry  great,  breeders 
struggling  successfully  to  secure  less  bulk  with  ec[ual  w  eight  and  added  muscle.  Prob- 
ably the  lighter  horses  of  England,  as  \\ell  as  the  famous  medium  sized  '•'•  Dutch 
jSIares,"  ha\e  had  something  to  do  in  bringing  about  this  verv  desirable  change;  cer- 
tain it  is,  that  the  English  Shire  of  to-day  is  a  horse  fit  to  walk  in  the  front  ranks  of 
any  breed  of   modern  draft  horses. 

Importation  to  America  has  been  slow.  No  \cv\  large  importations  hatl  been 
made  up  to  eight  or  ten  years  ago;  but  since  that  time,  western  farmers  have 
found  out  their  peculiar  worth,  and  the  demand  thus  created  has  led  to  great  activity 
in   importing   circles.     The  American  Shire  Horse  Association  has  been  lately  organ- 


ENGLISH     SlIIKES. 


23 


24 


ENGLISH    SHIRES. 


THE    SUFFOLK    PUNCH.  25 

ized,  with  C.  Burg-ess,  of  ^Vin()lla,  111.,  Secretary.  The  first  volume  of  the  English 
Stu<l  ]^ook  for  Shire  or  Cart  Horses,  was  published  in  1880;  since  which  time  some 
seven  volumes  have  appeared — a  fact  which  in  itself  illustrates  the  remarkable  demand 
upon    English  breeders  to  supply  registered  Shire  stock  for  American  shipment. 

DESCRIPTION"     AM)    CHARACTERISTICS: 

The  full  description  given  of  the  Clydesdale  in  preceding  chapter,  with  some  few 
changes,  may  be  accepted  as  a  correct  description  of  the  English  Shire.  Colors  are 
about  the  same,  with,  perhaps,  a  predominance  of  blacks,  browns,  and  bavs;  but  the 
darkei-  shades  of  gray,  both  dappled  and  steel  or  iron  gray,  are  more  frequently  met 
with.  The  "blaze,"  or  bald  face,  and  white  feet  and  stockings,  are  marks  common 
to  both  Shire  and  Clyde,  and  the  same  is  true  of  the  long  hair  at  and  above  the  fet- 
locks, commonlv  known  as  the  "  feather."  English  breeders  adhere  with  rigid  tenacity 
to  their  faith  in  pin"itv  of  blood,  as  shown  bv  the  feather;  while  American  importers 
and  breeders  are  as  surely  con\inced  that  the  feather  is  not  only  worthless  but  posit- 
ively injurious,  by  reason  of  keeping  the  feet  in  foul  condition  unless  carefully  cleaned 
and  attended  to.  We  can  honestly  admire  the  silken  fringe  of  soft  feather,  but  we 
must  express  our  belief  that  its  absence  would  detract  nothing  from  the  value  of 
either  Shire  or  Clvde.  In  point  of  size,  the  English  Shire  is  larger  of  the  two,  and 
has,  perhaps,  less  of  that  .Vmerican  objection — daylight — underneath.  Importers, 
however,  as  a  rule,  ha\  e  brought  over  the  more  compact  and  stylish  Shires,  and  it 
is  commonly  no  little  trouble  to  decide  by  simple  judgment  of  the  individual,  whether 
the  animal   is  Cl\de  or  vShire.      (  Compare  also  illustrations  of  the  two  breeds.) 

In  the  South  the  Shires  are  little  known,  and  we  can  sav  nothing  as  to  their 
relative  merits  in  oiu"  warm  climate;  but  in  the  \\'est  they  are  becoming  more  pop- 
ular with  each  succeeding  year,  and  ha\  e  an  assured  future  along  with  the  other 
draft  breeds. 


CHAPTER   VI. 


THE    SUFFOLK    PUNCH. 


This  breed  of  horses,  which  has  for  manv  \ears  enjoyed  such  merited  popu- 
larity in  England,  has  of  late  years  found  a  substantial  and  growing  favor  with 
American  breeders.  The  origin  of  the  Suffolk  Breed  is  somewhat  obscure,  but 
the  best  evidence  obtainable  indicates  the  use  of  Norman  stallions  on  the  best  native 
Suffolkshire  mares.  That  this  is  true  is  strongly  evidenced  by  the  Suffolk  color — 
>orrel,  or  light  chestnut — which  has  so  often  been  found  a  compromise  color  between 
bay  and  gra\-:  the  former  being  represented  in  the  native  mares,  the  latter  being  the 
predominating  color  of  the  Norman  stock. 

As  far  back  as  1745,  the  Suffolk  was  famed  for  its  still  prominent  characteristic 
—  draft;  and  notices  of  the  breed  at  the  drawing  matches  of  that  period,  may  be 
unearthed  among  the  old  files  of  some  of  the  English  newspapers. 


26 


THE    SUFFOLK    PUNCH, 


CLEVELAND     BAYS. 


Impro\'cmcnt  of  the  Suffulk  has  hccn  very  y^reat,  especially  within  the  last  quarter 
century.  Formerly  there  was  said  to  be  a  tendency  to  foot  troubles,  but  in  the 
modern  breed  this  tendency  has  disappeared.  Among  the  later  breeders  and  im- 
provers, we  may  mention  Mr.  Alfred  I.  Smith,  of  Woodbridge,  vSuffolkshire,  E^ig. 
Mr.  Smith  has  been  especially  active  in  stimulating  American  demand  for  his  sorrel 
favorites,  and  since  1861,  when  his  stud  \\as  established,  has  furnished  many  of  the 
noted  prize  winners  at  English  fairs.  In  the  United  States,  many  of  our  most  promi- 
nent importers  of  Shires  and  Percherons  have  lately  been  importing  .Suffcjlks,  and, 
we  understand,  the  demand  is  fast  increasing. 

DESCRIPTIOX    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color,  almost  in\ariably  chestnut  or  sorrel;  size,  somewhat  less  than  vShire  or 
Clydesdale,  having  an  average  height  of  15^  to  1Q%  hands,  and  weighing  at  maturity 
from  1,400  to  1,800  lbs.  The  body  is  round,  close  and  compact,  with  short  clean  legs 
and  pasterns,  free  from  the  troublesome  long  hair  of  the  Shire  and  Clyde.  The 
shoulders  are  long  and  lie  w^ell  forward  for  draft ;  the  bone  is  small  but  firm ;  the 
hind  quarters  long,  heavy  and  well  coupled  to  a  short,  close  knit  back.  The  general 
appearance  indicates  a  rather  over  medium  sized  sorrel  horse  with  heavy  round  body 
and  short  legs.  The  Suffolk  is  emphatically  a  draft  animal,  valuable  for  remarkable 
steadiness  and  great  faithfulness  in  the  collar.  He  will  pull  every  pound  which  is 
possible,  and  no  whip  is  needed  or  should  be  used  to  urge  his  natural  freedom  in 
work.  As  a  horse  for  the  general  farmer,  it  would  be  hard  to  find  one  more  suit- 
able— having  a  good  fast  walk,  an  even  "all-around"  trot,  and  sufficient  weight  to 
save  muscle  work  before  plow  or  harrow. 


CHAPTER   VII. 


CLEVELAND    BAYS. 

We  have' no  authentic  data  regarding  the  origin  of  the  Cleveland  breed,  but 
give  what  seem  to  be  the  most  probable  of  the  many  theories  advanced.  Prof.  Lo^\■ 
says : 

"It  has  been  formed  by  the  same  means  as  the  Hunter,  namely,  by  the  progressive  mixture  of 
the  blood  of  the  Race  Horse,  with  the  original  breeds  of  tiie  country." 

A  later  writer  regards  it  as  an  offshoot  from  the  old  vScandina\ian  horse  impro\ed 
by  careful  breeding  under  the  different  climatic  conditions  of  England,  i^v  others 
he  is  thought  to  be  a  lineal  descendant  of  the  old  war  horse  in  ages  23ast.  We  think 
it  probable,  that  a  gradual  use  of  horses  of  higher  breeding  on  heavy  mares  of  the 
larger  English  breeds,  combined  with  marked  skill  and  care  in  handling,  has  finally 
resulted  in  the  formation  of  this  excellent  breed.  Certain  it  is,  that,  about  the  begin- 
ning of    the   present  century,   the   horses    of    Cleveland   were   in   great  demand,   and 


28 


CLE\EI-AND     BAYS. 


CLEVELAND    BAYS. 


29 


30 


FRENCH    COACH    HORSES. 


their  breeding;  carried  on  \\ith  system  and  success;  for  a  time  thev  ^^radiialh-  de- 
clined in  public  favor,  and  indeed,  were  threatened  with  total  extinction,  but  diuiny- 
later  years  the  breed  has  again  advanced  in  favor,  and,  thanks  to  the  efforts  of  the 
American  Cleveland  Bay  Society  (R.  P.  Stericker,  of  Springfield,  111.,  Secretary),  is 
once  more  widely  and  favorably  known.  The  name  of  the  breed  is  taken  from 
the  district  of  Cleveland  in  Yorkshire,  England,  where  it  was  first  known,  and  the 
term  bay  was  added  to  indicate  the  prevailing  color. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color,  invariably  a  bright  bay,  either  light  or  dark,  with  black  mane  and  tail, 
black  points,  and  usually  a  small  white  spot  between  "bulbs"  of  the  heel.  In  size 
they  are  medium,  individuals  standing  from  sixteen  hands,  to  sixteen  hands  three 
inches  in  height,  and  weighing  from  1,100  to  1,300  lbs.  The  head  is  of  fair  size, 
with  a  face  of  kindly  expression  and  intelligent  cast;  neck  finch'  arched  and  well 
set  on  to  long,  sloping  shoulders;  back  short;  loins  even  and  powerful;  hips  of  good 
length  and  legs  straight,  close  knit,  and   free  from   long  hairs  at  the  fetlock. 

The  Cleveland  Bay  is  a  general  purpose  horse,  heavy  enough  for  all  ordinary 
farm  work,  and  active,  stylish  and  with  ample  speed  for  either  wagon  or  carriage  use. 
In  breeding  he  transmits  color,  bone,  style,  kind  and  docile  disposition,  and  general 
characteristics  to  a  marked  degree;  he  is  easy  to  handle,  and  for  use  in  grading  on 
the  pony  mares  of  the  great  Southwest,  we  doubt  if  his  superior  can  be  found,  or 
indeed,  his  equal.  Royalty  and  Lord  Derby  (see  illustrations),  both  prize  winners, 
are  excellent  rejDresentatives  of  the  breed,  and  fully  bear  out  the  proverbial  good 
judgment  of  their  respective  importers. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


FRENCH    COACH    HORSES. 
(^Demi-Sang.) 

These  horses  are  the  direct  result  of  the  wisdom  r.nd  foresight  of  the  French 
Government.  Some  time  during  the  latter  part  of  the  18th  century  the  Government 
began  the  establishment  of  studs  and  breeding  stables,  in  anticipation  of  an  ap- 
proaching scarcity  of  good  horses  for  the  cavalry  service.  Thoroughbred  stallions 
from  England  were  introduced  and  their  services  offered  to  breeders  at  remarkably 
low  rates,  the  policy  of  the  Government  being  to  buy  back  the  get  of  these  horses, 
and  eventually  establish  a  breed  of  the  peculiar  type  desired.  The  practice  led  to  a 
good  deal  of  trickery  in  the  way  of  selling  good-looking  individuals  on  appearance 
solely,  the  fraud  only  appearing  when  the  animal  was  used  for  breeding  purposes.  To 
obviate  this  trouble,  the  French  Government  adopted  the  plan  of  buying  up  superior 
stallion  colts  and  rearing  them  in  the  public  studs.  In  addition  to  this,  the  owners  of 
very  superior  stallions  are  granted  a  bonus  by  the  Government,  on  condition  that  the 


FRENCH    COACH    HORSES. 


81 


32 


FRENCH    COACH    HORSES. 


3  -> 


<  - 
I-    = 


Si 

§1 


S       O    X 


111  ^ 

IL    ^ 


THOROUGHnREDS.  33 

stallion  in  question  shall  remain  in  the  country  for  service;  a  second  class — the  owners 
of  stallions  good  but  not  fine — are  allowed  to  offer  their  stallions  for  service,  but 
receive  no  subsidy;  no  stallions  except  these  two  classes,  and  those  belonging  to  the 
Government,  are  ^llowed  to  stand.  In  certain  departments  of  France  only — as  notably 
in  Orne,  Calvados  and  Seine-Infeieure — is  Government  attention  directed  to  the  pro- 
duction of  Coachers;  in  other  departments,  the  Thoroughbred,  the  Breton  and  the 
celebrated  Norman  and  Percheron  horses  receive  in  turn  particular  attention.  The 
American  French  Coach  Horse  Association  has  just  been  organized,  and  a  Stud  Book 
will  soon  be  issued.     S.  D.  Thompson,  of  Wayne,  111.,  is  the  present  Secretary. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

The  color  of  the  French  Coach  is  usually  bay,  but  chestnuts  are  abundant  and 
blacks  quite  common;  the  fashion  in  America  calls  for  bay,  and  most  of  our  importers 
have  selected  with  a  view  of  supplying  this  fashionable  demand.  In  size  they  rank 
with  the  Cleveland — an  average  weight  falling  between  1000  and  1200  lbs.,  for  stal- 
lions. The  head  is  small  with  full  forehead,  expressive  eyes,  fine  muzzle,  and  medium, 
quick  playing  ears.  The  neck  is  long,  well  arched  and  firmly  set  on  long,  slop- 
ing shoulders.  The  back  is  short;  hips  long  and  well  up;  legs  of  good  length,  firmly^ 
knit,  and  with  tough  well-made  feet.  In  general  appearance — as  will  be  seen  by  a 
glance  at  the  engravings — the  French  Coach  Horse  is  just  what  the  name  indicates, 
a  stylish,  well-made  carriage  horse  of  good  action  and  fine  appearance. 


CHAPTER   IX. 


THOROUGHBREDS. 

(running  horses.) 

We  have  thought  best  to  commence  this  chapter  by  a  brief  notice  of  the  term 
"  Thoroughbred,"  and  the  confusion  which  has  existed — indeed  confusion  still  exists 
—  regarding  its  use  in  America.  In  England,  the  home  of  the  Thoroughbred,  the 
term  is  naturally  well  understood.  In  America,  all  animals  whether  horses,  cattle, 
sheep  or  swine,  if  eligible  to  entry  in  the  register  of  their  peculiar  breed,  are  spoken 
of  as  "  thoroughbred,"  as,  for  example,  thoroughbred  Shorthorns,  thoroughbred 
Herefords,  thoroughbred  Southdowns,  thoroughbred  Berkshires,  and  so  on  through 
the  list  of  recognized  breeds  of  domestic  animals. 

The  term  "thoroughbred,"  as  thus  used,  is,  it  will  be  noted,  an  adjective,  and  is 
employed  merely  to  express  the  fact  that  such  an  animal  is  eligible  to  entry  in  the  Herd 
Book  or  Register  of  the  breed  to  which  he  belongs.  It  is  convenient  and  expres- 
sive, if  not  strictly  accurate,  and,  as  it  will  doubtless  always  be  retained  by  American 
stock  breeders,  we  may  as  well  acquiesce  in  its  acceptance,  and  try  to  thoroughly 
understand  the  difference  between  its  use  as  an  adjective  and  as  a  noun.  It  must  be 
remembered  that  at  the  time  the  name  first  came  into  use  as  a  synonym  for  the  English 


34  THOROUGHBREDS. 

race  horse,  it  did  so  by  reason  of  the  acknowledged  purity  or  "thorough"  breeding 
of  the  animal  in  question.  No  horse  without  the  blood  of  some  celebrated  runner  of 
the  English  turf,  or  the  blood  of  the  Arabian,  Turk  or  Barb  in  his  pedigree,  could  at 
that  time  be  even  thought  of  as  a  horse  of  any  breeding  at  all.  The  race  horse  was 
the  especial  horse  of  the  nobility,  and  was  the  only  animal  at  that  time  whose  ances- 
tral blood  was  known  and  recorded.  The  runner  was  commonly  spoken  of  as  "  thor- 
oughbred," and  the  word  has  naturally  been  adopted  by  all  breeders  as  the  proper 
name  of  the  breed  of  running  or  racing  horses,  whose  origin  is  found  in  Oriental 
blood  transmitted  through  the  veins  of  the  early  English  race  horse. 

Let  us  understand  then  that  the  noun  "  Thoroughbred"  is  simply  the  name  of  a 
breed  of  horses,  just  as  Cleveland  Bay  and  Percheron,  are  the  names,  respectively, 
of  other  breeds  of  horses;  and  with  this  understanding,  we  may  proceed  to  a  brief 
review  of  the  origin  and  early  history  of  the  breed. 

As  already  intimated,  the  English  Thoroughbred  is  the  undoubted  scion  of  East- 
ern blood — Turk,  Barb  and  Arabian — improved  and  perfected  by  the  influence  of 
skillful  handling  and  natural  conditions  peculiar  to  English  soil  and  climate.  The 
horses  now  generally  regarded  as  of  most  value  among  the  early  invoices  of  Oriental 
blood,  may  be  named  as  follows,  in  order  of  their  importation:  The  White  Turk, 
owned  by  Mr.  Place,  stud  groom  of  the  Lord  Protector  Cromwell;  the  Byerly  Turk, 
owned  by  Captain  Byerly  and  used  by  him  as  his  charger  in  the  wars  of  William  in 
Ireland,  about  1689;  the  Darley  Arabian,  owned  by  Mr.  Darley  of  Yorkshire;  and 
last  in  point  of  time,  but  by  no  means  least  in  the  number  and  great  excellence  of  his 
descendants,  the  Godolphin  Barb,  called  also  "  Godolphin  Arabian,"  but  erroneously, 
since  he  was  universally  admitted  to  be  a  Barb. 

Many  other  noted  parents  of  racing  stock  might  be  named  as  illustrating  the 
extent  to  which  the  blood  of  the  desert  has  been  used  in  forming  the  modern  Thor- 
oughbred, but  space  forbids.  The  Darley  Arabian,  bred  in  the  desert  of  Palmyra, 
may  be  said  to  be  the  parent  of  our  best  racing  stock.  From  Youatt,  in  reference  to 
this  horse  and  his  descendants,  we  quote: 

"  His  figure  contained  every  point  without  much  show,  that  could  be  desired  in  a  turf  horse. 
The  immediate  descendants  of  this  invaluable  horse  were  the  Devonshire  or  Flying  Childers;  the 
Bleeding  or  Bartlett's  Childers,  who  was  never  trained;  Almanzor  and  others.  The  two  Childers 
were  the  means  through  which  the  blood  and  fame  of  their  sire  were  widely  circulated;  and  from 
them  descended  another  Childers,  Blaze,  Snap,  Sampson,  Eclipse,  and  a  host  of  excellent  horses. 
The  Devonshire  or  Flying  Childers,  so  called  from  the  name  of  his  breeder,  Mr.  Childers  of  Carr 
House,  and  the  sale  of  him  to  the  Duke  of  Devonshire,  was  the  fleetest  horse  of  his  day." 

Probably  the  most  noted  of  the  descendants  of  Flying  Childers  was  King 
Herod,  the  founder  of  the  old  Herod  line  of  English  Thoroughbreds.  He  was  the 
sire  of  497  winners,  who  gained  for  their  owners  some  £200,000. 

Of  Sampson  more  extended  mention  will  be  found  in  the  chapter  on  American 
Trotters.  His  reputed  and  recorded  sire  was  Blaze,  but  his  actual  sire  has  been  com- 
monly supposed  to  be  of  heavier,  coarser  extraction;  be  that  as  it  may,  in  the  horse 
Sampson,  regardless  of  his  pedigree,  was  combined  the  exact  elements  necessary  to 
plant  the  germ  of  the  trotting  instinct,  which  has  been  so  highly  developed  in  the 
long  list  of  trotting  horses  descended  from  his  great-grandson,  imported  Messenger. 

Eclipse  was,  by  acknowledged  right,  the  most  wonderful  horse  ever  produced  on 


THOROUGHBREDS.  85 

English  turf.  His  career  was  so  brilliant  both  on  the  turf  and  in  the  stud,  and  his 
exploits  so  remarkable,  that  the  following  quotation  from  Prof.  Low's  great  work 
may  prove  of  interest: 

"  Eclipse  was  got  by  Marske,  a  grandson  of  Bartlett's  Childers,  out  of  Spiletta.  He  was  foaled 
in  the  year  1764,  during  the  eclipse  of  that  year,  from  which  circumstance  he  took  his  name.  He  was 
bred  by  the  Duke  of  Cumberland,  and  on  the  death  of  that  prince  sold  to  Mr.  Wildman,  a  salesman 
at  Smithfield,and  afterwards  he  became  the  property  of  Mr.  O'Kelly.  Eclipse  had  not  the  grandeur 
of  form  of  the  Flying  Childers,  and  might  have  escaped  notice  but  for  the  accidental  trial  of  his  stu- 
pendous powers.  He  was  about  fifteen  hands  and  one  inch  high.  His  shoulders  were  very  low,  and 
so  thick  above,  that  according  to  the  observation  of  the  times,  a  firkin  of  butter  might  have  rested 
upon  them.  He  stood  very  high  behind,  a  compilation  suited  to  his  great  power  of  progression;  he 
was  so  thick  winded  as  to  be  heard  blowing  at  considerable  distance.  In  the  language  of  the  honest 
John  Lawrence,  '  He  puffed  and  blowed  like  an  otter,  and  galloped  as  wide  as  a  barn  door.'  No 
sooner  were  his  powers  exhibited  on  the  turf,  than  every  eye  was  set  to  scrutinize  his  form,  and 
he  was  then  admitted  to  possess  in  perfection  the  external  characters  indicative  of  great  speed.  A 
volume  was  written  on  his  proportions  by  M.  Saint  Bel,  a  veterinary  surgeon,  whose  investigations 
showed  that  his  figure  differed  greatly  from  the  conventional  form  which  speculative  writers  had 
assigned  as  the  standard  of  perfection.  He  was  of  an  indomitable  temper,  and  his  jockeys  found  it  in 
vain  to  attempt  to  hold  him,  but  contented  themselves  with  remaining  still  on  the  saddle  while  he 
swept  along,  his  nose  almost  touching  the  ground.  His  full  speed  was  not  determined,  since  he 
never  met  with  an  opponent  sufiiciently  fleet  to  put  it  to  the  proof.  He  not  only  was  never  beaten, 
but  he  was  able  to  distance  some  of  the  best  horses  of  his  time,  and  the  fleetest  could  not  keep  by  his 
side  for  fifty  yards  together.  This  remarkable  horse  first  appeared  on  the  turf  at  the  age  of  five  in 
1769.  In  the  first  heat  he  set  off  of  his  own  accord,  and  easily  gained  the  race,  his  rider  pulling  in 
vain  with  all  his  force  for  the  last  mile.  O'Kelly  observing  this,  and  aware  of  his  horse's  powers, 
offered  in  the  second  heat  to  place  the  horses,  and  he  took  heavy  bets  that  he  did  so.  When  called 
upon  to  declare,  he  said,  'Eclipse  first,  and  the  rest  no  place.'  He  gained  his  wagers:  Eclipse  was 
first,  and  all  the  others  were  distanced,  or,  in  the  language  of  the  turf,  had  no  place.  From  this  time 
Eclipse  was  continually  on  the  turf,  and  gained  every  race;  no  horse  daring  to  contend  with  him,  he 
closed  his  career  of  17  months  by  walking  over  the  Newmarket  Course  for  the  King's  Plate,  in 
October,  1770.  During  this  brief  period,  it  is  said  that  he  gained  £25,000  for  his  owner.  He  was 
then  employed  with  prodigious  profit  as  a  stallion.  He  got  334  winners  at  our  numerous  Race 
Courses,  who  are  computed  to  have  gained  about  £160,000  to  their  owners  besides  cups  and  plates. 
He  died  in  1789,  at  the  age  of  25." 

The  later  English  racers  have  been  horses  of  great  speed  and  endurance — great 
in  those  things  that  go  to  make  up  a  great  horse;  but  we  are  inclined  to  think  that  the 
modern  English  Thoroughbred  is  not  the  equal  of  his  former  self.  Sharper  races, 
more  of  them,  and  especially  coming  at  an  earlier  age — very  frequently  at  the  age  of 
two  or  three  years — have  had  a  tendency  to  decrease  somewhat  the  stamina  and 
wonderful  endurance  found  in  the  earlier  horses  of  note. 

The  American  Thoroughbred  is,  of  course,  a  lineal  descendant  of  the  parent 
stock  (English);  in  other  words,  all  American  horses  eligible  to  entry  in  the  American 
Stud  Book  for  Thoroughbred  Horses — edited  and  published  by  Col.  S.  D.  Bruce,  of 
New  York — are  either  imported  from  England,  or  are  the  descendants  of  horses  so 
imported. 

In  the  United  States,  it  has  been  found  advisable  to  permit  a  certain  relaxation 
of  the  rigid  rules  adhered  to  in  the  English  Stud  Book,  and  to  admit  animals  that 
show  an  unmixed  descent  for  five  generations  of  pure  blood.  This  necessarily  admits 
animals  which  are  not  strictly  Thoroughbred,  but  if  for  five  generations  nothing  but 
Thoroughbred  stallions  are  used,  the   resulting  animal  is  so  nearly  Thoroughbred  as 


36  THOROUGHBREDS. 

to  answer  all  requirements.  Indeed,  we  are  inclined  to  think  that  the  American 
system  of  breeding,  and  recognized  rules  for  entry,  have  done  much  toward  making 
the  American  Thoroughbred  the  successful  rival  of  his  English  cousin,  which  he  has 
proven  himself  to  be. 

Of  the  American  Thoroughbreds  which  have  earned  distinction  on  the  turf,  we 
may  mention  :  American  Ecljpse,  by  Duroc,  out  of  Miller's  Damsel,  by  Imp.  Mes- 
senger; Lexington,  by  Boston,  out  of  Alice  Carneal,  by  Imp.  Sarpedon;  Prioress, 
by  Imp.  Sovereign,  out  of  Reel,  by  Glencoe;  Leamington,  by  Faugh-a-Ballagh,  out 
of  a  mare  by  Pantaloon;  Springbok,  by  Australian,  out  of  Hester,  by  Lexington; 
Nettie  Norton,  by  Imp.  Leamington,  out  of  Long  Nine,  by  Lightning;  Ten  Broeck, 
by  Imp.  Phaeton,  out  of  Fanny  Holton,  by  Lexington;  Tom  Ochiltree,  by  Lexing- 
ton, out  of  Katona,  by  Voucher;  and  Parole,  by  Imp.  Leamington,  out  of  Maiden,  by 
Glencoe.  Many  others  might  justly  lay  claim  to  distinction,  but  lack  of  space  com- 
pels the  omission. 

Among   the  later   celebrities   of  the   turf,  not  one,  perhaps,  has   stood   higher  in 

public  favor  than  The  Bard    (see   illustration),  a  bay  stallion,  foaled   1883,  owned  by 

A.J.  Cassatt.     As  a  recognition   of  his  remarkable  career  on   the   turf,  we  give  place 

to  the  following  tabulated  pedigree: 

,  T-,        u      r>  II      u  \    Sir  Hercules. 

t-  .     ,  {  Faugh-a-Ballagh Guiccolli. 

J        Leamington i  ;   „ 

'   ■*     '  ^  '  '    Pantaloon. 


*-  Daughter Daphne. 

n   1  „  ,    ^  ,.  (  American  Eclipse. 

L ,     ,  Brawner  s  Eclipse Daughter. 

Nantura J  '  „      *      , 

/  ^  ,,  i  Bertrand. 

I  (  Queen  Mary J  l^Jj  Fortune. 

r       .      ^  \  Boston. 

f \^,      ^  r   Lexmgton :  Alice  Carneal. 

I    War  Dance J  '■  ^,, 

I   r>     ,  {  Glencoe. 

\                                                          ^  R^^l ■)  Gallopade. 

^    ]                                                                 T          T-    •    u.    f  o..  /-  ^  Irish  Birdcatcher. 

ill  (  I'"?-  ^"'gh^  °^  S^-  George.  .  .  ^^^^^^^_ 

^^    1    Brenna 3  '              ^ 

^1                                                              It-.  \  Imp.  Trustee. 

(  Levity -j  Vandal's  Dam. 

Concerning  the  race  for  Freehold  Stakes  at  Monmouth  Park,  N.  J.,  August  2d, 
1888,  in  which  The  Bard  suffered  defeat  for  the  first  time,  the  Turf^  Field  and 
Farm^  of   New  York  (issue  August  10th,  1888),  says: 

"  Since  our  last  issue,  sudden  checks  have  been  given  to  the  victorious  careers  of  several 
public  idols.  The  Bard  has  succumbed  to  Firenzi,  Raceland  lowered  his  colors  to  Badge,  Kingston 
and  Terra  Cotta  suffered  defeat  by  Elkwood,  Little  Minch  out-speeded  by  Yum-Yum,  and.  even 
in  England,  the  crack  two-year-old  Donovan  has  met  with  a  reverse.  But  the  case  of  The  Bard  is 
the  most  serious  of  all,  for  not  only  has  he  been  beaten  after  winning  seven  straight  stakes,  but  in  all 
probability,  he  has  appeared  for  the  last  time  in  public. 

"  The  race  in  which  he  met  with  his  mishap  was  the  Freehold  at  Monmouth,  on  Thursday  of 
last  week.  Firenzi  was  his  only  opponent.  The  Bard  made  the  running,  setting  a  fast  pace,  but  at 
no  time  did  Garrison  permit  the  filly  to  be  more  than  three  lengths  behind.  He  closed  in  the  stretch, 
forced  Hay  ward  to  the  whip  at  the  last  sixteenth  pole,  and  then  coming  away,  won  by  two  lengths  in 
2:34,  which  equals  the  record,  Luke  Blackburn  having  made  the  same  time  at  Monmouth  as  a  three- 
year-old  on  August  17th,  1880,  with  102  pounds  up,  and  Jim  Guest,  when  four  years  old,  and  carrying 
98  pounds,  having  made  a  like  record  at  Washington  Park,  Chicago,  July  24th,  1886.  The  first 
quarter  was  run  in  0:27,  the  half  in  0:52,  the  three-quarters  in  1:18,  the  mile  in  1:42>^,  and  the  mile 
and  a  quarter  in  2:08^.     It  was  a  splendid  performance  for  both. 


THOROUGHBREDS. 


37 


38 


TlIOIJOLGIlHKEDs. 


'■While  The  Baid  did  not  pull  up  lame,  as  far  as  could  be  noticed,  at  the  close  of  the  race,  it 
was  but  a  short  time  before  he  began  to  favor  his  off  hind  leg,  which  began  to  swell.  Dr.  Shepherd 
was  called  to  examine  the  horse,  but  the  inllamation  was  so  great,  the  swelling  being  midway  between 
the  hock  and  fetlock  joint,  that  it  was  impossible  to  diagnose  the  case,  and  the  extent  of  the  injury 
had  not  been  definitely  determined  on  Tuesday  last,  although  it  was  generally  deemed  to  be  perman- 
ent. After  the  race,  Hayward  said  that  for  the  first  time  this  season.  The  Bard  had  not  tried  to  get 
away  from  him  w^hen  he  had  mounted,  not  taking  hold  of  the  bit  in  his  accustomed  style.  Like  his 
illustrious  sire,  he  has  gone  down  in  battle,  covered  with  glory,  both  finishing  their  race^  in  the 
gamest  manner  on  three  legs.  That  there  would  have  been  a  still  greater  contest  and  in  faster  time 
had  The  Bard  been  right,  there  is  no  question  in  our  mind,  for  we  have  long  been  of  the  opinion 
that,  under  favorable  conditions,  he  could  lower  almost  any  record." 

Firenzi  (a  bay,  foaled  1884),  by  this  race  has  proven  herself  a  truly  great  mare;  and 
with  The  Bard  no  longer  in  the  field,  ought  surely  to  have  an  easy  career  as  a  winner. 

The  Emperor  of  Norfolk  (see  illustration  from  sketch  immediately  after  winning 
the  American  Derby)  is  another  one  of  the  successful  winners  of  1888.  At  Chicago, 
Tune  28rd,  he  won  the  American  Derby,  netting  in  this  one  race  $14,590.00,  and  mak- 
ing a  total  amount  thus  far  won  for  his  owner  of  $28,530.00,  said  to  be  the  largest 
winnings  credited  to  any  living  horse.  There  is  a  little  "  cold  "  blood  in  the  remote 
pedigree  of  the  Emperor,  coming  through  the  Potomac  mare — dam  of  Betsy  Malone 

but  it  is  so  far  back   that  it  affects  neither  his  speed   nor   his  breeding  value.      His 

abridged  pedigree  may  be  given  as  follows: 

.•  Timoleon  


I    Boston 


Alice  Carneal . 


f  Imp.  Glencoe. 


Sister  to  Tuckahoe 
Imp.  Sarpedon .... 

Rowena 

Sultan 

Trampoline 

Rodolph 


Chloe  Anderson 


\  Sir  Archy. 

/  Saltram  Mare. 

\  Ball's  Florizel. 

(  Alderman  Mare. 

\  Emilius. 

}  Icaria. 

\  Sumpter. 

}  Lady  Gray. 

\  Selim. 

}  Bacchante. 

\  Tramp. 

}  Web. 

\  Sir  Archy  Montorio. 

}  Daughter  of  Hoxall's  Moses. 


T,  „      N     J  S   Sir  William. 

Belle  Anderson j   Butterflv. 


Imp.  Bonnie  Scotland 


I 

L  Lady.  Lancaster 


^    f  Imp.  Yorkshire 

^    I 


^  1    Charmer 


lago 

Queen  Mary  . . 
Imp.  Monarch 
Lady  Canton . . 
St.  Nicholas  . . 


Moss  Rose. 


Imp.  Glencoe 


\  Don  John. 

}  Scandal. 

\  Gladiator. 

'I  Daughter  of  Plenipotentiary 

\  Priam. 

}  Delphine. 

\  Imp.  Tranby. 

1  Mary  Randolph. 

^  Emilius. 

J  Seamew. 

\  Tramp. 

I  Sandro  Mare. 

\  Sultan. 

)  Trampoline. 


X,          ,T  ,  {   Stockholder. 

Betsy  Malone j  Potomac  Mare. 


THOROLGIIUHKDS. 


39 


40  THOROUGHBREDS. 

The  Chicago  Horsejnan^  in  a  notice  of  the  Emperor,  says: 

"  He  is  a  grandly  proportioned  horse,  and  is  so  constructed  that  he  can  carry  all  the  penalties 
that  are  piled  upon  him  without  materially  interfering  with  his  speed.  He  has  defeated  all  the  best 
three-vear-olds  of  the  year  so  easily  that  it  is  impossible  to  accurately  gauge  his  powers.  Should  he 
meet  The  Bard  at  weight  for  age,  we  shall  expect  to  see  a  grand  struggle,  and  one  which  will  be 
fully  described  in  the  annals  of  the  turf.  Both  in  his  two  and  three-year-old  career,  he  has  proved 
himself  to  be  a  race-horse  of  the  very  highest  quality,  and  one  of  those  exceptionally  great  hoises 
which  only  appear  once  in  a  decade. 

"The  Emperor  of  Norfolk  was  bred  by  Theodore  Winters.  He  was  foaled  on  January  12,  1885, 
and  was  purchased  at  the  Winters  sale  on  December  20,  1886,  by  E.  J.  Baldwin  for  $2,550.  He  is  by 
that  mighty  son  of  Lexington,  Norfolk,  out  of  Marian,  by  Malcolm.  In  the  veins  of  the  Emperor 
flows  the  rich,  red  tide  which  came  from  those  grand  fountains  of  speed — Lexington,  Glencoe,  Bonnie 
Scotland  and  Yorkshire.  When,  as  a  racing  star  of  the  first  magnitude,  the  Emperor  has  run  his 
allotted  course,  his  splendid  individuality,  grand  speed  powers  and  patrician  lineage,  will  combine  to 
enthrone  him  as  the  first  lord  of  the  harem." 

Huguenot  is  an  EngHsh  Thoroughbred,  and  we  present  his  portrait  as  a  good  type 
of  the  English  race-horse. 

While  no  two  famous  winners  have  ever  been  exactly  alike  in  conformation,  there 
are  yet  many  points  of  similarity,  and  we  have  thought  best  to  give  the  following  short 

DESCRIPTION    OF    A    TYPICAL    THOROUGHBRED: 

The  head  is  fine;  neck  slender  but  well  set  on  at  the  shoulders;  chest  deep, 
wide, and  bounded  by  shoulders  long  and  slanting;  hind  quarters  high  and  well  muscled; 
legs  flat,  with  short  cannons,  long,  elastic  pasterns,  and  rounded,  well-made  feet.  Not 
a  pound  of  surplus  fat  is  carried  when  in  racing  trim;  the  cords  and  muscles  stand  out 
clearly,  and  play  in  action  like  the  sensitive  strings  of  some  delicate  instrument.  The 
Racer  is  essentially  nervous  in  temperament;  many  have  been  made  vicious  by  careless 
handling,  and  not  a  few  have  failed  to  show  extreme  speed  on  the  turf,  because  of 
failure  to  understand  and  appreciate  their  nerve  peculiarities. 

Many  regard  the  Thoroughbred  as  a  mere  fancy  animal, — the  especial  horse  of 
the  sporting  fraternity, — but  we  do  not  agree  with  such  expression.  His  indomitable 
will  and  wonderful  endurance,  combined  with  his  beauty  of  form  and  usually  good 
size,  make  him  a  horse  of  much  value  to  use  on  native  mares  of  mixed  breeding;  and 
the  colts  thus  produced  are  among  our  most  stylish  saddle  and  harness  horses.  The 
South  has  always  been  rich  in  the  blood  of  the  Thoroughbred;  and,  since  there  has 
been  little  call  for  horses  of  the  heavier  breeds  until  recent  times,  mules  being  em- 
ployed almost  exclusively  for  heavy  draft  and  farm  work,  the  Racer  has  served  a 
most  valuable  purpose.  As  heavier  stallions  are  now  being  introduced  quite  extens- 
ively, we  shall  find  the  mares  of  racing  stock  a  valuable  foundation  for  producing  an 
excellent  general  purpose  horse. 


THOROUGHBREDS. 


41 


!'^  u'y 


42  AMERICAN    TROTTERS. 


CHAPTER    X. 


AMERICAN    TROTTERS. 

While  not  yet  recognized  as  a  separate  breed,  the  American  Trotter  is  fast  ap- 
proaching that  distinction,  and  the  long  lines  of  fast  moving  offspring  from  the  famous 
stallions  that  founded  the  several  strains  of  modern  Trotters,  point  unmistakabl}'  to  that 
constant  transmission  of  characteristic  qualities  w^hich  alone  determines  a  breed. 

ORIGIN    AND     improvement: 

The  history  of  the  origin  and  improvement  of  American  Trotters,  furnishes  one 
of  the  most,  if  not  the  most,  remarkable  examples  of  human  skill  in  developing  and 
training  to  desired  lines  qualities  which,  before,  had  remained  partially  developed  or 
entirely  latent.  The  courage  and  stamina  of  the  Trotting  Horse,  in  brief,  is  found  in 
the  use  of  Oriental  blood  in  and  thi-ough  the  royal  blood  of  the  Thoroughbred ;  but 
to  those  remarkable  individual  animals,  w^hich  w^e  shall  mention, — in  whom  the  trot- 
ting gait  seems  to  have  been  a  spontaneous  development  of  the  trotting  instinct  com- 
bined with  the  energy  and  speed  of  the  Racer, — belongs  the  credit  for  his  immediate 
origin. 

Among  the  horses  which  may  thus  be  considered  original  sources  of  trotting 
blood,  and  first  in  the  list  by  acknowledged  right,  stands 

IMPORTED    MESSENGER, 

himself  a  Thoroughbred,  and  embracing  some  of  the  choicest  blood  of  the  desert  in 
his  make-up,  as  will  be  seen  by  a  simple  statement  of  his  paternal  ancestry :  Imported 
Messenger  was  a  gray  horse,  foaled  in  1780;  imported  to  United  States  in  1788,  and 
died  on  Long  Island  in  1808.  His  first  sire  was  Mambrino,  second  sire  Engineer, 
third  sire  Sampson,  fourth  sire  Blaze  (?),  fifth  sire  Flying  Childers,  sixth  sire  Darlc}^ 
Arabian.  His  dam  .was  sired  by  Turf,  by  Matchem,  by  Cade  (who  was  a  son  of 
Godolphin  Arabian),  and  his  second  dam  was  by  Regulus,  also  a  son  of  Godolphin 
Arabian.  His  great  grandsire,  Sampson,  was  a  black  horse  out  of  all  keeping  with  the 
ideal  Thoroughbred  in  appearance,  being  large,  coarse  and  heavy  boned,  but  with  a 
wonderful  power  of  speed  and  bottom.  Sampson's  reputed  and  recorded  sire  was 
Blaze,  a  bay  Thoroughbred,  but  his  conformation  and  the  inclination  to  trot,  which  he 
transmitted  to  his  offspring,  have  led  students  of  equine  history  to  doubt  the  record 
of  his  paternity,  and  assert  that  his  dam  was  covered  by  a  coach  horse.  If  this  were 
true — and  it  seems  at  least  reasonable — it  was  the  most  fortunate  accident  that  could 
have  occurred,  since  it  furnished  the  exact  combination  to  insure  a  change  of  gait  and 
still  retain  the  fire  and  instinctive  speed  of  the  Racer. 

The  peculiar  conformation  of  imported  Messenger — low,  round,  almost  flat  with- 
ers— has  been  faithfully  handed  down  to  his  lineal  descendants;  and  it  is  a  matter  of 
common  note,  that  all  true  Messenger-bred  Trotters  have  always  enjoyed  a  remarkable 


AMERICAN     TROTTERS. 


43 


44  AMERICAN     TROTTERS.- 

freedom  from  all  kinds  of  foot,  leg  and  bone  diseases.  Messenger  blood  is  found  in 
nearly  every  family  of  American  Trotters;  and,  through  his  great  grandson,  Rysdyk's 
Hambletonian,  we  have  a  family  preeminently  above  all  others  in  steady  re-pi-oduction 
of  the  trotting  gait,  through  a  long  line  of  noted  descendants,  of  which  we  shall  write 
later. 

Another  original  source  of  trotting  blood  was  found  in 

IMPORTED    BELLFOUNDER, 

a  blood  bay,  with  white  diamond  on  nose,  and  white  left  hind  foot.  His  breeding  has 
always  been  a  matter  of  question,  but  by  the  best  evidence  obtamable  his  pedigree  is  as 
follows:  Sire,  Old  Bellfounder,  out  of  Velocity  by  Haphazard,  by  Sir  Peter,  out  of 
Miss  Hervey  by  Eclipse.  Grand  dam  of  good  blood  but  not  Thoroughbred.  This 
stamps  him  as  a  true  descendant  of  the  Fireaways — a  strain  which  has  never  been 
excelled  for  the  saddle.  Bellfounder,  the  "Norfolk  Trotter,"  was  foaled  about  1815, 
imported  to  America  in  1822,  and  died  on  Long  Island  in  1843.  He  was  a  natural 
trotter,  of  remarkable  honesty,  and  his  truest  descendants  have  since  been  known  as 
"  field  trotters,"  showing  their  best  speed  when  free  from  all  restraint  of  reins.  The 
peculiar  value  of  the  Bellfounder  blood  is  found,  like  that  of  Duroc,  in  its  happy  com- 
bination with  the  blood  of  Messenger. 


was  not  an  imported  horse,  but  was  foaled  (1806)  and  bred  in  Virginia.  He  was  a 
chestnut  in  color,  of  remarkable  frame  and  muscle,  got  by  imported  Diomed, — a 
small  chestnut  horse,  winner  of  the  first  English  Derby, — and  from  him  (Diomed)  he 
derived  many  serious  blood  defects — such  as  tendency  to  foot  and  leg  troubles,  as  well 
as  those  high  qualities  of  nerve  and  spirit  which  are  found  in  all  of  Diomed's  descend- 
ants. On  his  dam's  side  he  traces  to  imported  Medley,  a  gray,  by  Gimcrack,  also  a 
gray,  and  from  this  quarter  comes  the  peculiar  conformation  of  his  descendants — 
wide  hips,  long,  powerful  thighs,  and  hocks  placed  low  down  over  short  hind  cannons 
— which  is  always  accompanied  by  an  open,  loose  "straddling"  action,  by  many  regarded 
a  sure  indication  of  trotting  promise.  As  already  noted,  his  greatest  value  was  found 
in  combination  with  Messenger  blood,  and  in  such  horses  as  Alhambra,  Messenger- 
Duroc  and  American  Star  was  found  its  happiest  combination. 

ST.    LAWRENCE 

must  not  be  omitted  in  our  mention  of  the  early  sources  of  trotting  blood.  He  was 
a  small,  bay,  Canada-bred  horse,  standing  about  15^  hands;  was  foaled  about  1841, 
brought  over  to  New  York  about  1848,  and  died  in  Michigan  1858.  His  breeding  is 
not  known,  but  he  was  a  trotter  and  a  sire  of  trotters.  The  peculiar  motion  which 
proclaims  St.  Lawrence  blood  is  seen  among  all  of  his  descendants:  The  hind-quarters 
gently  swing  from  side  to  side,  as  the  hind  feet  successively  advance,  trotting  with  an 
even  but  rolling  and  far-reaching  action,  that  gives  an  idea  of  almost  irresistible  power 
and  momentum. 

In  this  connection  we  quote  the  opinion  of  Mr.  H.  T.  Helm — an  acknowledged 
authority  in  matters  concerning  trotting  stock — as  given  in  his  valuable  work  on 
^'American  Roadsters  and  Trottins:  Horses": 


AMERICAN    TROTTERS. 


45 


BELMONT. 

!iiy  stallion;  foaled  ISOt;  i)ro,)crty  of  A.  j.  Alkxandek,  Spring  Station,  Ky. 


46  AMERICAN    TROTTER?. 

"The  fact  has  become  so  clear  that  in  some  parts  of  our  country  the  Messenger  blood  has  been 
bred  too  closely,  and  the  need  of  a  suitable  out-cross  of  high  trotting  quality  having  become  apparent 
in  many  instances,  such  a  blood  as  that  of  St.  Lawrence  affords,  for  all  such,  one  of  the  most  valuable 
strains  with  which  to  inter-breed.  Many  valuable  mares  now  exist  that  are  so  closely  and  strongly 
in-bred  in  the  Messenger  blood,  that  their  value  as  breeding  stock  mainly  depends  on  the  obtaining  of 
a  suitable  out-cross  to  invigorate  the  blood,  and  maintain  the  trotting  excellence  for  which  it  has 
been  noted.  For  all  such  the  male  descendants  of  St.  Lawrence  will  afford  the  desired  cross,  and  the 
union  will  in  all  probability  result,  as  did  that  of  Bellfounder  in  the  Hambletonian,  in  the  further 
advancement  of  the  American  Trotter." 

Next  on  the  list  comes  the  Canadian  pacer, 

PILOT. 

His  breeding,  like  that  of  St.  Lawrence,  is  not  known,  except  that  his  ancestry  came 
originally  from  France  to  Acadia,  and  thence  to  Canada,  forming  a  class  of  tough  and 
valuable  horses,  since  known  as  French  Canadians,  or  Kanucks.  He  was  foaled  about 
1826,  but  was  first  known  at  New  Orleans,  1832,  when  he  was  said  to  be  six  years 
old,  and  was  purchased  of  a  peddler  for  $1000.00;  he  died  in  Kentucky  in  1855.  Pilot 
in  brief,  was  a  black  stallion,  standing  less  than  15  hands,  with  short  neck,  rather  thick 
and  heavy  about  the  throat;  a  long,  coarse  mane,  showing  the  handsome  wavy  curl 
which  characterizes  the  French  Canadian  wherever  found;  a  close  knit  muscular 
body;  a  sloping  rump;  a  heavy  tail  of  same  quality  as  mane,  and  long  quarters  with 
hocks  placed  low  down.  His  whole  make-up  was  one  of  utility,  and  his  decendants 
— chiefly  through  the  blood  of  his  greatest  son,  Pilot  Jr.,  combined  with  the  blood 
of  established  trotting  strains — have  among  them  the  fastest  trotters  in  the  world. 

The  dam  of  Maud  S. — 2:08%^ — the  fastest  trotter  yet  known,  was  by  Pilot  Jr.; 
as  was  also  the  dam  of  the  famous  gelding  Jay  Eye  See — 2:10 — whose  record  of 
2:10^^  as  a  five-year-old  has  never  been  beaten.  True,  these  famous  movers  are 
descended  on  the  other  side  in  direct  line  from  Hambletonian,  but  tliis  fact  does  not 
detract  from  the  great  value  of  the  Pilot  blood  when  used  in  such  mighty  combination. 

GRAND    BASHAW, 

a  Barb  of  the  purest  lineage,  was  imported  from  Tripoli  in  1820,  and  died  in  Penn- 
sylvania in  1845.  His  color  was  black,  with  small  white  star,  and  he  was  said  to  be 
of  very  great  beauty.  In  1821  he  produced  Young  Bashaw — from  Pearl,  by  Bond's 
First  Consul,  out  of  a  mare  by  imp.  Messenger — rnd  through  this  son  has  come  the 
credit  to  Grand  Bashaw  as  an  original  source  of  trotting  blood.  In  view  of  the  fact 
that  the  grand  dam  of  Young  Bashaw  was  by  imp.  Messenger,  and  the  further  fact 
that  Young  Bashaw  was  a  coarse  looking  gray  horse,  in  many  respects  resembling  the 
Messenger  strain,  it  has  been  claimed  that  the  Bashaws  and  their  noted  descendants — 
the  Clays — are  really  nothing  but  branches  of  the  great  Messenger  stem,  and  that 
therefore,  the  claims  of  Grand  Bashaw  are  naught,  and  his  name,  assumed  by  the 
family,  an  usurpation  of  Messenger  right. 

In  part  at  least  this  may  be  considered  sound  reasoning;  but  we  think  it  more  just 
to  admit  that  the  blood  of  the  imperial  Barb,  Grand  Bashaw,  was  the  one  element 
needed  in  combination,  to  develop  the  strain  of  Trotters  that  bears  his  name. 

Last  on  the  list,  but  by  no  means  least  in  importance,  stands  old 
JUSTIN  morgan: 
a  clear,  bright  bay,  foaled   in    1793    near   Springfield,  Mass. ;  died  near  Chelsea,  Vt., 


AMERICAN    TROTTERS. 


47 


HAROLD. 

Bay  stallion;  foaled  lst>4;  property  of  A.J.  Alexander,  Spring  Station,  Ky. 
(Sire  of  Maud  S,  2:0SJi.) 


48  AMERICAN    TROTTERS. 

in  1821.  His  parentage  cannot  be  definitely  ascertained,  but  from  the  best  circum- 
stantial evidence,  it  would  appear  that  his  sire  was  a  horse  called  True  Briton,  or 
Beautiful  Bay,  and  in  all  probability  a  Thoroughbred.  His  dam  was  said  to  be  of 
the  "  Wildair "  breed,  and  to  have  a  share,  be  it  more  or  less,  of  the  blood  of  the 
Lindsey  Arabian  in  her  veins.  There  is  some  reason  also  for  the  belief,  in  certain 
quarters,  that  he  had  a  trace  of  Canadian  blood  in  his  make-up;  although  the  remark- 
able impressiveness  of  Morgan  and  his  descendants  in  matters  of  color,  form,  gait 
and  disposition,  mark  a  predominance  of  Oriental,  rather  than  Canadian  blood. 
Justin  Morgan  left  several  sons,  only  three  of  which  occupy  places  of  any  real  im- 
portance—  Bulrush,  Woodbury  and  Sherman.  Through  Sherman — the  best  of  the 
three  sons  of  old  Morgan — we  have  Vermont  Black  Hawk,  and,  passing  down  the  list, 
General  Knox,  Ethan  Allen  and  Daniel  Lambert;  through  Bulrush  we  have  the 
Morrills;  and  through  Woodbury,  Hale's  Green  Mountain  Morgan,  Magna  Charta 
and  (probably)  Gold  Dust. 

From  this  short  summary  of  the  horses  classed  as  sources  of  trotting  blood,  we 
may  pass  to  brief  mention  of  a  few  of  the  numerous  strains  or  families  now  holding 
more  or  less  of  public  favor.     First,  by  acknowledged  right,  are 

The  Hatnbletonians :  The  family  takes  its  name- from  Rysdyk's  Hambletonian, 
descended  on  the  paternal  side  from  Imp.  Messenger,  through  his  Thoroughbred  son 
Mambrino  (American)  and  Mambrino's  son,  Abdallah,  sire  of  Hambletonian.  The 
dam  of  Hambletonian  was  by  Bellfounder.  Through  Hambletonian  we  have  the 
Volunteers,  Edward  Everetts,  Alexander's  Abdallahs,  Almonts,  Messenger-Durocs, 
Happy  Mediums,  George  Wilkeses,  Dictators,  Wood's  Hambletonians,  Electioneers, 
and  many  others  of  acknowledged  eminence,  laying  claim  to  the  general  title  of 
Hambletonian. 

The  Mambrinos^  another  great  family,  descended  on  the  paternal  side  from  Imp. 
Messenger — take  the  name  from  Mambrino  Chief.  His  sire  was  Mambrino  Fay- 
master,  a  son  of  Mambrino,  who  was  also  the  grandsire  of  Hambletonian.  All  the 
Mambi'inos,  Champions,  and  many  others  are  grouped  under  this  head. 

The  Bashaws  take  their  name  from  Young  Bashaw,  a  son  of  the  Imp.  Barb, 
Grand  Bashaw.  Young  Bashaw  was  the  sire  of  Andrew  Jackson,  who  in  turn  got 
Long  Island  Black  Hawk;  and  through  the  latter  we  have  Green's  Bashaw,  the 
Mohawks  and  others  of  note. 

Closely  related  to  the  Bashaws  are 

The  Clays,  who  take  the  family  name  from  Henry  Clay,  a  son  of  Andrew 
Jackson,  above  mentioned.  From  this  horse  we  have  the  numerous  strains  of  Clays; 
and  through  his  famous  grandson,  George  M.  Patchen,  we  have  the  branch  which 
bears  his  name. 

The  Morgans  we  have  already  mentioned  as  taking  the  name  and  excellence 
of  old  Justin  Morgan.  Under  this  head  we  have  the  Black  Hawks  (exclusive  of  Long 
Island  Black  Hawk,  who  was  by  Andrew  Jackson,  with  no  trace  of  Morgan  blood), 
Ethan  Aliens,  Knoxes,  Daniel  Lamberts,  Fearnaughts,  Morrills,  and  others. 

Pacing  blood  is  represented  chiefly  by  the  Pilats,  who  take  their  name  from 
Pilot  Jr.,  already  noted,  and  the  Blue  Bulls,  from  the  celebrated  pacer  of  that  name; 
with   the  Royal   Georges,  Hiatogas,  Bald  Stockings   (descended    from   Tom   Hal, 


AMERICAN     TROTTERS. 


49 


^3  i 

rO    i^: 


iS>^-;^.;, 


50  AMERICAN    TROTTERS. 

lately  deceased),  Copper  Bottotns^  and  others,  as  seconds  of  no  mean  value.  Right 
here  we  cannot  fail  to  notice  the  peculiar  force  of  pacing  blood,  especially  on  the  side 
of  the  dam,  when  joined  with  paternal  blood  of  established  trotting  excellence.  The 
mares  of  Pilot  Jr.,  St.  Clair,  and  other  noted  pacers,  have  given  us  the  fastest  flyers 
of  the  age,  and  no  amount  of  self-confident  reference  to  "  Thoroughbred  grand  dams," 
in  the  cases  of  Maud  S.  and  Jay  Eye  See,  can  now  breast  the  tide  of  popular  favor 
which  the  pacing  element  enjoys.  Old  Blue  Bull,  a  horse  of  great  speed  at  the  pacing 
gait  alone,  stands  now  (June  (5th,  1888 )  second  on  the  list — yielding  only  to  the  trotter 
George  Wilkes — as  a  sire  of  trotters;  having  to  his  credit  52  horses  with  a  record  of 
2:80  or  better. 

It  is  now  well  known  and  admitted  that  the  trot  and  the  pace  are  interchange- 
able, and  that  a  horse  may  be  taught  to  go  at  either  gait.  The  idea  of  20  years  ago 
that  pacing  blood  was  of  no  value  in  a  trotting  pedigree,  has  gone  and  gone  to  stay. 

SOME    OF    THE    FASTEST. 

An  examination  of  the  list  of  fast  records  brings  up  matters  of  such  interest  as  to 
warrant  at  least  notice  in  these  pages.  In  every  case,  through  the  list  of  stallions, 
mares  and  geldings,  the  really  fast  movers  have  been  the  result  of  steady  breeding  in 
blood  lines  to  attain  the  desired  ends.  It  is  this  fact  which  points  conclusively  toward 
an  early  recognition  of  the  claims  of  the  American  Trotter  to  be  classed  as  a  breed: 
not  yet,  perhaps,  but  soon  to  be,  is  assuredly  a  safe  assertion. 

The  fastest  stallions  of  the  present  day  are:  Maxey  Cobb,  2:135^;  Phallas, 
2:13^,  and  Patron,  2:14i^.  Maxey  Cobb  has  the  best  record,  but  it  is  admitted  that 
Phallas — next  by  a  difference  of  one-half  second — is  really  the  better  horse,  since  he 
met  and  defeated  the  former  in  an  easy  victory.  The  2:13^  of  Phallas  was  the 
fastest  time  ever  made  by  a  stallion  in  a  race,  and  the  fastest  time  ever  made  in  a 
fourth  heat  by  any  horse;  and  cannot  at  least  be  considered  inferior  to  the  2:13i^  of 
Maxey  Cobb,  made  in  a  trial  against  time. 

Phallas  (see  pedigree  in  full)  is  a  bay,  son  of  Dictator,  out  of  Betsy  Trotwood 
by  Clark  Chief.  Dictator  was  by  Rysdyk's  Hambletonian,  out  of  Clara,  by  Seely's 
American  Star,  and  was  a  full  brother  to  Dexter. 

Maxey  Cobb,  a  bay,  is  by  Happy  Medium — a  trotting  bred  trotter,  standing  fourth 
on  the  list  as  a  sire  of  2:30  horses;  he  by  Rysdyk's  Hambletonian,  out  of  the  trotting 
mare  Princess,  the  famous  California  long  distance  mare,  whose  history  is  so  inti- 
mately connected  with  that  of  Flora  Temple,  through  their  struggles  on  the  track. 
Princess  was  by  a  grandson  of  Bishop's  Hambletonian — the  son  of  Messenger,  sup- 
posed to  be  Thoroughbred,  and  whose  name  was  at  first  spelled  H-a-m-i-1-t-o-n-i-a-n. 
Is  it  any  wonder  that  Phallas  and  Maxey  Cobb  trot?  And  we  may  say  the  same 
of  the  next. 

Patron,  a  bay,  is  a  great  grandson  of  Mambrino  Chief,  through  his  sire  Pancoast. 
On  the  other  side,  he  runs  again  to  Mambrino  Chief  family,  his  dam  being  by  Cuyler 
out  of  a  mare  by  Mambrino  Patchen.  When  we  consider  the  age  of  Patron  (five 
years)  at  the  time  his  record  of  2:14i^  was  made,  he  may  fairly  be  called  the  equal 
of  the  two  preceding:  indeed,  taking  the  trio  together,  a  horseman  could  hardly 
choose  one  without  an  innate  fear  that  a  better  judgment  would  have  chosen  another. 


AMERICAN    TROTTERS. 


51 


PHALLAS  2:13  .. 

Bay  stallion;  property  of  J.  I.  Case,  Racine,  Wis. 


52  AMERICAN    TROTTERS. 

The  fastest  mares  to  date  are  Maud  S.,  2:083/;  Belle  Hamlin,  2:133^;  Goldsmith 
Maid,  2:14;  and  Trinkett,  2:14. 

Maud  S.,  a  chestnut,  the  present  queen  of  the  trotting  turf  by  virtue  of  her 
2:08^,  is  by  Harold — a  son  of  Rysdyk's  Hambletouian,  out  of  a  mare  by  Hamble- 
tonian's  sire,  Abdallah.  The  dam  of  Maud  S.  is  Miss  Russell,  whose  sire  was  the 
now  famous  Pilot  Ji'.  Probably  no  other  trotter  ever  enjoyed  such  high  public  favor 
as  this  famous  mare.  She  has  remarkable  courage  and  intelligence,  was  foaled  1874, 
and  is  now  owned  by  Robert  Bonner,  of  New  York.  She  will  not  trot  any  more 
races,  but  her  owner  claims  that  she  is  just  in  her  prime,  and  will  yet  lower  her 
remarkable  record. 

Belle  Hamlin,  a  bay,  next  on  the  list,  is  by  Plamlin's  Almont,  a  son  of  Alexander's 
Abdallah — out  of  a  mare  by  Vermont  Black  Hawk.  The  dam  of  old  Almont  was 
by  Mambrino  Chief.  In  Turf,  Field  and  Farm^  issue  of  July  27th,  1888,  appeared 
the  following: 

"  On  Tuesday  of  last  week,  Belle  Hamlin  trotted  a  half  mile  on  the  Buffalo  track,  timed  by  a 
number  of  gentlemen,  among  them  the  experienced  horseman  Mr.  C.  F.  Dunbar,  in  l:02>^,last 
quarter,  31  seconds — a  2:04  gait.  This  was  a  terrific  flight  of  speed,  and  as  soon  as  Belle  Hamlin 
learns  to  carry  the  speed,  she  will  trot  a  great  mile." 

Goldsmith  Maid  and  Trinkett,  who  are  tied  as  to  record,  each  standing  at  2:14, 
are  distinctly  trotting  bred.  Goldsmith  Maid,  a  bay,  was  sired  by  Alexander's  Abdal- 
lah, a  son  of  Rysdyk's  Hambletonian,  and  one  whose  early  death  was  not  the  least 
disaster  of  the  late  Civil  War.  The  dam  of  Goldsmith  Maid  was  claimed  to  be  a 
daughter  of  the  same  Abdallah,  but  as  there  is  no  definite  proof  of  such  in-breeding 
in   her  case,  the  claim  must  be  passed  without  further  notice. 

Trinkett,  a  bay,  was  a  trotter  at  an  early  age,  having  a  record  of  2:19^  as  a 
four-year-old,  at  a  time  when  such  a  record  was  considered  wonderful.  Her  sire  was 
Princeps,  a  son  of  Woodford  Mambrino,  out  of  a  mare  by  Alexander's  Abdallah. 
The  dam  of  Trinkett  was  by  Rysdyk's  Hambletonian:  blood,  and  performing  blood 
at  that,  is  a  potent  and  manifest  factor  throughout  the  list  of  trotting  mares. 

The  fastest  geldings  by  the  record  are:  Jay  Eye  See,  2:10;  St.  Julien,  2:lli^  ;  and 
Rarus,  2:13i^,  and  we  shall  find  the  same  story  of  blood  that  tells  by  a  brief  notice  of 
their  pedigrees.  Jay  Eye  See,  a  black,  is  by  Dictator,  out  of  the  mare  Midnight, 
whose  sire  was  Pilot  Jr.  The  parentage  of  Dictator  has  been  already  mentioned  under 
the  notice  of  Phallas.  Jay  Eye  See  has  the  best  record  ever  made  by  a  five-year-old 
(2:10%^),  and  stands  second  only  to  the  Queen  of  the  Turf,  Maud  S.,  by  a  matter  of 
Ij^  seconds.  His  leg  trouble  has  prevented  thus  far,  even  a  trial  to  lower  his  record; 
but  his  owner  has  an  abiding  faith  in  the  little  fellow,  which  we  trust  may  be  fully 
realized.     In  a  recent  letter  to  the  author,  Mr.  Case  says  : 

"*  *  *  *  Last  winter  we  concluded  to  have  him  fired,  which  was  done,  and  under  the 
circumstances,  he  should  have  been  left  at  rest  for  fully  eight  or  nine  months,  but  being  rather 
anxious  to  get  him  again  on  the  turf,  we  commenced  jogging  him.  The  result  was,  that  his  leg 
fevered  up  and  enlarged  a  little.  This  caused  us  to  turn  him  out  for  this  whole  season.  He  was  not 
lame,  and  is  not  lame  now,  and  I  will  show  him  to  \>z  a  greater  horse  than  ever,  another  year." 

St.  Julien,  a  bay,  is  by  Volunteer,  a  son  of  Rysdyk's  Hambletonian,  out  of  Flora, 
by  Sayre's  Harry  Clay.  Harry  Clay  was  also  the  sire  of  the  famous  brown  mare, 
Green    Mountain    Maid,  whose   fame   as   the   dam  of   Electioneer   and   other    noted 


AMERICAN    TROTTERS. 


53 


54  AMERICAN    TROTTERS. 

horses,  is  only  exceeded  by  the  universal  regret  among  breeders  of  trotting  stock  at 
her  death,  which  occurred  June  6th,  1888.  The  dam  of  Harry  Clay  was  by  Imp. 
Bellfounder — surely  St.  Julien  comes  honestly  by  his  speed. 

Rarus,  a  bay,  with  blazed  face  and  white  hind  ankles,  third  on  the  list,  does  not 
show  such  unmistakable  blood  lines  as  do  the  preceding,  but  there  is  still  a  foundation 
other  than  chance  for  his  blood-like  performances.  His  sire  was  known  as  Conklin's 
Abdallah — claimed  to  be  a  son  of  Alexander's  Abdallah — but  really  of  unknown 
pedigree;  his  dam  was  by  Telegraph,  out  of  a  mare  by  Vermont  Black  Hawk.* 

And  now  a  word  as  to  the  phenomenal  colts,  Manzanita,  Sable  Wilkes,  Wild- 
flower  and  Norlaine. 

Manzanita,  a  bay  mare,  bred  at  Palo  Alto,  Cal.,  the  best  four-year-old,  has  a 
record  at  that  age  of  2:16.  Her  dam  is  Mayflower,  by  the  pacer  St.  Clair,  and  her 
sire  is  Electioneer,  the  famous  son  of  Green  Mountain  Maid  and  Hambletonian  (Man- 
zanita was  severely  injured  by  fire  at  Palo  Alto,  April  17th,  1888,  and  will  probably 
never  again  appear  on  the  track). 

Sable  Wilkes,  a  black  stallion,  best  three-year-old,  has  a  record  at  that  age  of 
2:18;  his  dam  is  Sable,  who  combines  the  blood  of  Pilot  Jr.,  Young  Copper  Bottom, 
Hambletonian  and  Mambrino  Chief.  His  sire  is  Guy  Wilkes,  a  grandson  of  Ham- 
bletonian, and  tracing  on  the  maternal  side  to  Mambrino  Chief  and  Seely's  American 
Star. 

Wildflower,  a  bay  mare,  the  best  two-year-old,  has  a  record  at  that  age  of  2:21. 
She  is  out  of  Mayflower,  by  Electioneer — exactly  the  breeding  of  Manzanita  given 
above. -j- 

Norlaine,  a  brown  filly,  the  best  yearling,  whose  record  of  2:31 1^  at  that  age 
astonished  the  world,  was  by  Nerval,  a  son  of  Electioneer,  out  of  Elaine,  the  famous 
trotting  daughter  of  Messenger  Duroc  and  Green  Mountain  Maid.  (Norlaine  was 
fatally  injured  by  fire  at  Palo  Alto,  April  17th,  1888,  and  died  on  Thursday,  April 
19th,  following.) 

All  four  of  the  young  Champions  are  from  California;  three  of  them  trace  in 
direct  descent  to  Electioneer — who  has  now  (July  5th,  1888)  32  horses  to  his  credit 
in  the  2:30  list,  making  him  an  easy  first  among  living  sires  of  2:30  horses — and  all 
are  from  mares  sj^eedy  both  in  blood  and  performance.  Another  point  of  interest  in 
these  cases,  is  found  in  the  element  of  pacing  blood,  which  has  so  kindly  mingled 
with  that  of  high  performing  trotters  in  their  royal  ancestry.  As  a  fit  recognition  of 
the  value  of  pacing  blood  in  the  American  trotting  horse,  we  give  the  following  list 
of  pacers  that  have  made  2:14  or  better. 

Johnston,  2:06i^;  Little  Brown  Jug,  2:ll3^;  Sleepy  Tom,  2:12i^;  Buffalo  Girl, 
2:12^;  Rich  Ball,  2:12^^;  Mattie  Hunter,  2:123^;  Brown  Hal,  2:13;  Bay  Filly, 
Flora  Bell,  Fuller,  Gem,  Little  Mack,  Rowdy  Boy  and  Westmont,  each  2':133//; 
Arrow,  Gossip  Jr.,  Jewett,  Lucy  and  Sorrel  Dan,  each  2:14. 

Before  leaving  this  chapter,  it  may  be  well  to  explain  what  is  meant  by  the  term 
"Standard  Bred,"  as  applied  to  trotting  stock;  and  this  we  do  through  the  kindness  of 
D.  J.  Campau,  of   The  Horsetnan^  Chicago,  who  sends  the  following 

NEW    STANDARD    OF    REGISTRATION: 
"  Established  by  the  National   Association  of  Trotting   Horse   Breeders,  Decamber  14th,  1887. 


AMERICAN    TROTTERS. 


56  AMERICAN    TROTTERS. 

In  order  to  define  what  constitutes  a  trotting  bred  horse,  and  to  establish  a  breed  of  trotters  on  a 
more  intelligent  basis,  the  following  rules  are  adopted  to  control  admission  to  the  records  of  pedi- 
grees. When  an  animal  meets  the  requirements  of  admission,  and  is  duly  registered,  it  shall  be 
accepted  as  a  standard  bred  trotting  animal. 

"First.  Any  stallion  that  has  himself  a  record  of  2:30  or  better,  provided  any  of  his  get  has  a 
record  of  2:35  or  better,  or,  provided  his  sire  or  his  dam  is  already  a  standard  animal. 

"Second.     Any  mare  or  gelding  which  has  a  record  of  2:80  or  better. 

"Third.     Any  horse  that  is  the  sire  of  two  animals  with  a  record  of  2:30,  or  better. 

"  Fourth.  Any  horse  that  is  the  sire  of  one  animal  with  a  record  of  2:30  or  better,  provided  he 
has  either  of  the  following  additional  qualifications:  (1)  A  record  himself  of  2:35  or  better.  (2)  Is 
the  sire  of  two  other  animals  with  a  record  of  2:35  or  better.  (3)  Has  a  sire  or  dam  that  is  already  a 
standard  animal. 

"  Fifth.     Any  mare  that  has  produced  an  animal  with  a  record  of  2:30  or  better. 

"  Sixth.     The  progeny  of  a  standard  horse  when  out  of  a  standard  mare. 

"  Seventh.     The  female  progeny  of  a  standard  horse  when  out  of  a  mare  by  a  standard  horse. 

"  Eighth.  The  female  progeny  of  a  standard  horse  when  out  of  a  mare  whose  dam  is  a  stand- 
ard mare. 

"Ninth.  Any  mare  that  has  a  record  of  2:35  or  better,  and  whose  sire  or  dam  is  a  standard 
animal." 

Of  most  of  our  illustrations  little  need  be  said.  Jay  Ej^e  See  and  Phallas,  their 
sire  Dictator;  Harold,  the  sire  of  Maud  S.;  Belmont,  and  Electioneer,  are  already 
well  known  and  universally  admired,  Pennant,  the  grand  young  horse  from  Willow 
Lawn  Farm,  Waverly,  la.,  although  not  yet  widely  known,  is  destined  to  stand  well 
up  in  the  list  of  great  stallions.  The  following,  clipped  from  the  Breeders'  Gazette^ 
of  Chicago,  refers  to  the  race  for  a  purse  of  $600.00,  2:24  class,  at  Janesville,  Wis., 
June  19th,  1887: 

"  In  the  very  first  race  of  the  meeting,  there  was  a  terrific  battle  between  Valkyr  and  the  Son 
of  Abe  Downing;  and  the  smart  men  who  owned  the  bay  mare  and  who  piloted  her  down  the  central 
circuit  line  with  such  consummate  skill  last  year,  keeping  her  merits  carefully  concealed  until  she 
was  ready  to  win  a  good  race,  must  have  felt  chagrined,  when  they  learned  by  bitter  experience  that 
the  Iowa  Stallion  was  more  than  a  match  for  their  mare — especially  as  this  knowledge  was  not 
obtained  until  after  their  entry  had  won  the  first  heat,  and  taken  a  record  of  2:19^^  in  order  to  do 
it.  Of  course,  they  thought  this  speed  did  win,  and  so  would  any  man,  who  was  figuring  on  a  2:24 
class  at  a  June  meeting;  but  in  the  very  next  heat.  Pennant,  having  come  second  at  the  finish  of  the 
first  mile,  trotted  the  track  in  2:21,  and  showed  that  this  was  not  the  limit  of  his  capabilities  by 
trotting  the  third  mile  in  2:19^,  and  the  fourth  in  2:21>^.  By  his  races  at  Freeport  and  Janesville, 
Pennant  has  proven  himself  to  be  a  wonderfully  good  young  horse,  and  as  his  breeding  is  of  the 
most  approved  lines — his  sire  having  made  a  record  of  2:20^4,  and  his  dam  being  by  Harold — his  suc- 
cessful inauguration  as  a  stallion  when  his  turf  days  shall  be  over,  is  assured.  Speed  of  the  developed 
kind  is  what  men  who  have  mares  to  breed  want  in  these  progressive  days;  and  the  young  stallion, 
no  matter  how  fashionable  his  blood  lines  may  be,  has  no  chance  against  an  animal  whose  speed  has 
been  developed  and  tested  in  actual  contests.' 

Olivette  is  a  half  sister  to  Pennant,  and  one  of  the  best  brood  mares  of  the  Wil- 
low Lawn  Stud. 

*  Sept.  lOtfi,  '88,  Mr.  Gordon'' s  erratic  black  gelding,  Guy,  secured  a  record  of  2.12%,  at  Fleet-wood 
Park,  N.  T.,  making  him  the  Jourth  Jastes  ttrotter  in  the  -world  by  the  record.  Guy  is  by  Kentucky 
Prince,  out  of  Flora  Gardner. 

t  On  Oct.  Idth,  '88,  Sunol,  at  the  Bay  District  Track,  San  Francisco,  passed  the  Wildfloiver  mark, 
and  placed  the  one-mile  tzvo-year-old  record  at  2  20}^ .  Sunol  is  a  bay  filly,  foaled  1886,  got  by  Electioneer 
out  of  Waxana, 


AMERICAN    TROTTERS. 


57 


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64  ORLOFF  TROTTERS — SHETLAXDS. 


CHAPTER    XI. 


ORLOFF     TROTTERS. 

The  Orloff  family  of  trotting  horses  derives  its  name  from  the  Russian  Count 
Alexis  Orloff  Tschismensky,  an  enthusiastic  lover  of  horses,  who  is  credited  with 
producing  the  breed. 

In  1775,  he  imported  the  gray  Arabian  stallion,  Smetanxa — a  horse  of  unusual  size 
and  power.  This  horse  was  used  on  a  Danish  mare,  the  produce  being  a  stallion, 
known  as  Polkan  First,  who  in  turn  produced  from  a  Dutch  mare  the  horse  Bars  First 
— commonly  regarded  as  the  progenitor  of  the  breed.  Lubezney  First,  Lebed  First, 
and  Dobroy  First,  three  sons  of  Bars  First,  have  given  character  to  the  blood  of 
their  sire,  and  helped  to  fix  the  trotting  instinct.  The  Count  selected  his  stallions 
invariably  from  the  foundation  stock  just  noted;  but  resorted  to  the  better  class  of 
English  and  Dutch  mares  whenever  practicable. 

The  Orloff,  like  the  American  Trotter,  is  a  made-up  animal;  but  he  shows  neither 
the  speed  at  short  distance,  nor  the  endurance  on  a  long  stretch,  which  characterizes 
so  many  of  our  American  Trotters.  A  few  have  been  brought  to  America,  but  they 
are  by  no  means  generally  known. 

The  prevailing  color  is  gray,  but  blacks  are  common  and  bays  are  frequently 
found.  Possibly  the  Orloff  may  at  some  future  time  be  used  to  relieve  the  inbred  con- 
dition into  which  certain  families  of  our  American  Trotters  are  in  danger  of  falling; 
but  as  it  stands  now,  the  American  is  so  far  superior  to  the  Russian  Trotter  that  our 
own  breeders  of  trotting  stock  have  every  reason  to  be  well  satisfied  with  the  mag- 
nificent results  already  reached,  and  should  feel  encouraged  to  put  forth  still  greater 
energies  in  the  future. 


CHAPTER  Xn. 


SHETLAND     PONIES. 

They  are,  as  the  name  indicates,  natives  of  the  Shetland  Islands,  north  of  Scotland, 
As  to  their  origin,  one  thmg  may  be  stated  without  fear  of  contradiction,  and  that  is: 
no  trace  of  racing   (Thoroughbred)  blood  has  ever  found  its  way  into  their  breeding. 

Their  resemblance  to  the  ponies  of  Scandinavia,  and  the  further  fact  that  the 
Islands  were  first  taken  possession  of  by  Scandinavian  plunderers,  and  for  a  long  time 
(until  the   Fifteenth  Century)   remained   attached   to  the  Crown  of  Norway,  furnish 


SHETLAXDS. 


65 


3  I 

S.  H 

~  r 

I  O 


66  SHETI.AXDS WELSH    PONIES. 

good  evidence  that  the  Shetland  Ponies  are  of  Norwegian  derivation.  Tradition, 
however,  has  it,  that  some  of  the  horses  carried  by  the  great  Spanish  Armada — many 
vessels  of  which  were  wrecked  off  the  rugged  Shetland  coast — escaped  to  the  Islands 
and  have  since  left  their  impress  upon  the  native  pony  stock;  the  tradition  has  the 
color  of  probability;  more  than  this  cannot  be  definitely  stated.  Whatever  their  origin 
or  subsequent  mixture  with  other  breeds,  the  Shetlands  show  in  appearance  and  char- 
acter, the  well  known  influence  of  severe  climate  and  scanty  food.  They  are  extremely 
hardy;  very  small — standing  about  8  to  11  hands  high;  shaggy  coated,  with  bushy 
mane  and  tail;  always  round  and  smooth  in  the  barrel;  with  short  fine  legs  and  round 
handsome  feet.  All  colors  are  found,  but  brown,  black  and  spotted — black  and  white 
or  brown  and  white,  are  most  common. 

The  Shetlands  are  the  safest  and  most  popular  ponies  for  children's  use,  and  large 
numbers  of  them  are,  and  have  been,  annually  brought  to  the  United  States  for  this 
purpose.  They  are  remarkably  intelligent,  and  can  be  readily  trained.  Their  hardi- 
ness and  muscular  endurance  have  always  been  marked;  but  they  have  little  or  no 
practical  value  outside  of  that  already  mentioned.  When  bred  in  America,  the 
superior  food  and  attention  given  causes  a  considerable  increase  in  size;  and — since 
the  smallest  ponies  are  in  greatest  demand — this  fact  has  led  to  the  practice,  quite 
common  at  the  present  time,  of  importing  as  wanted  for  sale  direct  from  the  Islands. 

The  illustration — engraved  after  a  sketch  from  life,  expressly  for  our  use — is  an 
accurate  representation  of  the  breed. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 


WELSH     PONIES. 

Of  late  years  quite  a  number  of  these  beautiful  little  fellows  have  found  their 
way  to  the  United  States;  and,  like  the  Shetlands,  are  in  great  demand  for  children's 
use.     Of  their  origin  Low  says: 

"The  mountains  of  Wales  in  like  manner,  give  birth  to  a  race  of  small  horses  adapted  to  an 
elevated  country  of  scanty  herbage,  *  *  *  which  must  be  supposed  to  be  pure  with  respect  to 
their  descent  from  the  pristine  race." 

The  typical  Welsh  Pony  stands  s^iout  18  hands  high,  has  a  small  head,  high 
withers,  smooth,  rounded,  close  coupled  body,  with  neat,  flat  legs  and  sound  feet. 
Color  varies,  bays  and  browns,  especially  the  lighter  shades,  are  common,  and  blacks 
and  other  colors  frequently  found. 


EXMOORS  —  MUSTANGS.  67 


CHAPTER    XIV. 


E  X  IM  O  O  R    PONIES. 

This  breed — a  few  of  which  have  been  imported  to  the  United  States — has  its 
origin  in  the  Exmoor  Forest  region,  lying  partly  in  Devonshire  and  partly  in  Somer- 
setshire, England.  They  are  doubtless  descended  from  the  same  original  stock  as  the 
Welsh  breed,  but  differ  considerably  from  the  l-atter  at  the  present  time. 

They  are  shaggy,  long  haired;  stand  about  12  or  13  hands  high,  and,  although 
not  so  smooth  and  attractive  in  appearance  as  the  Welsh,  are  said  to  be  remarkably 
hardy.     Bays,  browns  and  blacks  are  the  most  common  colors. 


CHAPTER    XV. 


MEXICAN    PONIES. 
(mustangs.) 

Since  the  conquest  of  Mexico  by  the  Spaniards  (1519-22)  a  race  of  so-called 
Mexican  horses  has  been  established,  differing  from  their  Spanish  ancestry  only  in  those 
things  naturally  affected  by  the  semi-wild  state  in  which  they  have  existed,  and  the 
consequent  lack  of  artificial  care  and  attention.  From  Mexico  they  scattered  gradu- 
ally northward  until  the  entire  Southwest,  including  Texas,  New  Mexico  and  Arizona, 
was  supplied  with  a  native  or  wild  horse  stock,  from  the  same  original  source.  Doubt- 
less, also,  the  Mexican  breed  has  contributed  largely  to  form  the  pony  breeds  of  the 
more  northern  Indian  tribes.  Discussion  of  this  point  will  come,  however,  more  prop- 
erly under  the  next  heading,  which  see. 

In  Texas  the  Mexican  Ponies  have  been  commonly  called  "  Mustangs,"  and  it  is 
by  this  name  that  they  have  become  notorious  as  the  most  ill-tempered,  unmanageable, 
but,  withal,  most  wiry,  tough  and  enduring  specimens  of  the  equine  race  to  be  found. 

In  height,  they  stand  about  12  to  13  or  14  hands,  weighing  from  600  to  800  lbs.; 
all  colors  are  found,  but  the  colors  which  might  perhaps  be  called  characteristic  of  the 
breed  are  yellow  clay,  smoky  dun  and  mouse,  with  usually  a  darker  stripe  along  the 
middle  of  the  back.  The  various  shades  of  roan  are  quite  common — white  or  pink 
roans  nearly  always  showing  a  skin  of  the  same  color  at  the  nose  and  on  inside  of 
thighs;    and  spotted   ponies — "paints"   -are  frequently  found. 

The  prominent  characteristic  of  the  Mexican  Mustang  lies  in  his  wonderful 
powers  of  endurance;    he  will    carry  a    heavy  man  on   his  back,  and  make  a  distance 


68 


[USTANGS. 


MUSTANGS       INDIAN     PONIES.  69 

each  day  for  a  month  or  six  weeks'  journey,  that  would  tax  the  powers  of  the  best 
Kentucky  Thoroughbred.  As  to  their  viciousness  or  ill-temper,  about  which  so  much 
has  been  written,  we  think  it  entirely  overdrawn.  Mustang  colts,  taken  up  when 
two  years  old,  and  handled  in  the  same  manner  that  Eastern  horsemen  handle  colts  of 
higher  market  value,  will  show  a  disposition  entirely  different  from  the  wild,  vicious 
temper  commonly  imputed  to  them.  Indeed  the  reverse  is  also  true,  since  it  is  a  well- 
known  fact  that  among  "American"  horses — ^as  the  larger  improved  horses  brought 
from  the  East  are  called — or  their  descendants  on  the  range,  are  found  the  worst 
specimens  of  the  "bucking"  or  "pitching"  type.  While  the  tendency  of  running 
wild  is  always  toward  wildness,  if  .".ot  viciousness,  yet  we  believe  the  notorious  Mustang 
disposition  is  largely  a  product  of  very  poor  methods  of  breaking  and  handling. 

Before  leaving  this  subject,  it  may  be  of  interest  to  note  a  remarkable  case  of 
prolonged  gestation,  reported  by  Mr.  Z.  T.  Moore,  of  Traer,  la.,  in  the  Breeders' 
Gazette  of  Chicago.  The  mare  is  said  to  be  a  Mustang;  in  1887  she  carried  her  foal 
377  days,  and  in  1888  the  foal  was  retained  889  days — foals  in  both  instances  doing 
well.  The  average  period  of  gestation  for  mares  under  domestication  rarely  exceeds 
350  to  860  days;  but  it  is  commonly  observed  that  mares  of  any  breed,  as  a  rule, 
carry  their  foals  longer  when  allowed  to  breed  and  range  in  pasture  without  care  or 
restraint,  than  when  kept  up  and  favored  with  extra  care  and  attention.  We  have  no 
doubt  that,  if  statistics  could  be  as  carefully  kept  of  the  service  and  birth  dates  among 
semi-wild  horses  as  is  done  among  careful  l)reeders  of  improved  stock — we  should  find 
a  marked  difference  in  the  average  length  of  g'estation. 

The  illustration  was  engraved  expressly  for  our  use,  from  a  photograph,  taken  at. 
Laredo,  Texas,  and  is  a  fair  representation  of  the  modern  Mexican  Pony.  Mr.  E. 
H.  Sauvignet,  of  Laredo,  has  our  thanks  for  assistance  in  securing  photo. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 


INDIAN     PONIES. 

As  noted  in  the  preceding  chapter,  Indian  Ponies  doubtless  trace  in  direct  line  to 
a  more  or  less  remote  Mexican  ancestry.  Indeed,  the  horse-stock  of  the  tribes  of 
Western  Texas,  New  Mexico  and  Arizona,  is  nothing  if  not  Mexican;  but  of  the  more 
northern  tribes,  it  is  probable  that  another  factor  has  been  potent  in  forming  the  breed. 
That  the  other  factor  must  be  sought  in  northern  latitudes,  is  beyond  question,  and  we 
are  convinced — after  careful,  continued  observation  of  the  ponies  belonging  to  the 
various  "  Reservation"  Tribes — that  the  Canadian  Pony,  a  descendant  of  the  small 
hoise  stock  of  France,  imported  to  Canada  at  an  early  date,  is  the  animal  that  must 
bear  the  responsibility.  We  adopt  this  conclusion  for  several  reasons,  chief  among 
them  being  the  fact  that  Mustang  colors  are  rarely  found  among  Indian  Ponies  proper 
— -the  latter  showing  a  great  predominance  of  dark  bay,  brown  and  spotted  (bay  and 


INDIAN     PONIES. 


INDIAN    PONIES.  71 

white  or  brown  and  white),  and  the  further  fact  that  their  conformation  is  decidedly 
different.  The  spotted  marking  is  quite  common  and  it  is  ditlicult  to  trace  its  source 
unless  we  accept  the  common  belief  that  it  is  derived  from  horses  inhabitincr  the  moun- 
tainous parts  of  Persia  and  adjoining  countries,  through  the  Spanish  and  French 
ancestry. 

Indian  Ponies  are,  as  a  rule,  kind  and  gentle;  enduring  as  much  in  the  colder 
regions  of  the  Northwest,  as  do  their  Mustang  relations  in  the  Southwest.  There  is 
very  little  ill-temper  observed  among  northern  Indian  Ponies:  a  simple  fact^ — whether 
due  to  different  treatment  or  to  modification  by  Canadian  crosses — we  do  not  pretend 
to  say. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color,  dark  bay,  brown  and  spotted  (bay  and  white  and  brown  and  white),  with 
almost  always  darker  points.  Some  of  these  ponies  are  a  most  beautiful  blood-bay 
with  black  points,  and  when  they  can  be  obtained,  make  excellent  saddle  ponies.  (As  a 
rule  the  better  class  of  Indians  are  loth  to  part  with  their  ponies,  and  even  when  a  sale 
has  been  completed,  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  the  Indian  to  become  sick  of  his 
bargain  before  the  pony  is  out  of  sight,  and  insist  on  buying  it  back  again.) 

In  height  they  stand  about  12  to  13  or  14  hands,  weighing  from  G50  to  850 
pounds:  they  are  rather  more  blocky  built  than  Mustangs,  the  cannons  are  wider,  and 
the  pasterns  more  on  the  upright  order. 

The  illustration  was  engraved  from  a  photograph  taken  in  the  Chicasaw  Nation, 
Indian  Territory;  and  we  take  this  occasion  to  return  thanks  to  Mr.  E.J.  Smith,  of 
Woodford,  I.  T.,  for  his  kind  assistance  in  securing  it.  The  ponies  represented,  weigh 
about  700  lbs.  each,  and  are  said,  by  the  Indians,  to  be  purely  Indian  bred  as  far  back 
as  their  ancestry  is  known.  The  boy  holding  them  is  a  17  year  old  full-blooded  Chi- 
casaw, by  name,  John  Turnbull. 


72  HINTS   OX    SELECTION,  CARE    AND   MANAGEMENT    OF    HORSES. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 


HINTS  ON   SELECTION,  CARE  AND    MANAGEMENT   OF  HORSES. 

In  selecting  a  horse,  more  actual  knowledge  is  needed  than  can  be  secured  from 
books  alone:  the  accurate  judge  of  horse  flesh  is  one  who  has  made  the  subject  a 
practical,  continued  study  for  years;  and  who  has  at  command,  not  only  the  close 
knowledge  gained  by  experience,  but  a  good  understanding,  as  well,  of  the  principles 
which  underlie  Force  and  Action  applied  in  the  movements  of  the  horse.  For  an 
exhaustive  discussion  of  this  subject,  the  reader  is  referred  to  any  one  of  the  special 
works  on  the  horse — especially  such  books  as  Sanders'  Horse  Breeding  and  Helm's 
American  Roadsters  and  Trotting  Horses,  with  which  he  is  doubtless  already  familiar. 
We  can  only  undertake  to  give  a  few  of  the  more  prominent  points,  which  may  pos- 
sibly aid  somewhat  in  forming  an  intelligent  judgment. 

First.  For  draft,  a  horse  must  have  weight:  he  may  have  fine  action  also,  but 
the  weight  he  must  have  if  capable  of  long  pulls  before  heavy  loads.  The  shoulders 
should  be  upright  and  heavy  below,  in  order  that  strain  on  the  traces  may  be  met  by 
collar  resistance  at  such  an  angle  as  will  utilize  all  of  the  force  exerted.  The  draft 
horse  should  stand  fairly  high  in  front  (rather  prominent  withers)  and  must  have  a 
chest  of  ample  width  to  permit  free  expansion  of  lungs,  when  under  any  temporary 
strain.  The  legs  are  best  short,  and  should  never  exhibit  that  smooth,  puffy  appear- 
ance which  always  indicates  a  tendency  to  form  fat  at  the  expense  of  muscle;  the 
cannons  should  be  flat,  and  the  joints,  especially,  hard  and  firmly  bound  together.  As 
we  have  stated,  fine  action  is  not  absolutely  necessary,  but  for  farm  use  a  good  sprightly 
walk  is  certainly  desirable.  Right  here  we  may  say,  that  a  horse  of  1200  to  1400  lbs. 
weight,  is  about  the  heaviest  that  will  be  found  profitable  on  the  ordinary  farm ;  the 
heavier  animals  will  always  be  in  demand  for  a  different  purpose,  and  an  intelligent 
judgment  will  select  in  reference  to  the  purpose  for  which  desired.  To  be  too  "fiery" 
or  "high  strung"  is  an  objection:  the  draft  horse  should  be,  pre-eminently,  an  animal 
of  quiet — yet  not  sluggish — temperament.  A  strong,  even  puller  will  resist  fatigue 
better,  and  do  more  service. 

Second.  For  speed,  the  shoulders  should  be  slanting;  the  withers  medium  to 
low;  the  loin  and  rump  high,  and  the  hind-quarters  long  and  furnished  with  powerful 
muscles.  In  the  race  horse,  the  propelling  power  comes  from  the  rear,  and  a  greater 
mistake  could  not  be  made  than  to  select,  for  running,  a  horse  at  all  deficient  in  these 
parts,  no  matter  how  fully  he  might  fill  the  judgment  in  other  respects.  The  legs 
must  have  some  length,  and  here  may  be  added  double  caution  as  to  their  quality:  not 
a  particle  of  surplus  flesh  or  fat  should  be  apparent,  and  joints  in  particular  must  be 
closely  knit  together.     The  English  government  has  a  set  of  rules  for  the  use  of  those 


HINTS    ON    SELECTION,    CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    HORSES.  7J? 

who  select  horses  for  cavalry  service,  and  we  insert  them  here;  they  are  called  "Points 
for  Rejection,"  but  will  answer  equally  well  as  points  for  selection : 

"  Reject  a  horse  whose  fore-legs  are  not  straight;  they  will  not  stand  wear.  Stand  behind  the 
horse  as  it  walks  away  from  you,  and  you  will  be  able  to  notice  these  defects,  if  they  exist. 

"  Reject  a  horse  that  is  light  below  the  knee,  especially  if  immediately  below  the  knee;  the  con- 
formation is  essentially  weak. 

"  Or  a  horse  with  long,  or  short,  or  upright  pasterns;  long  pasterns  are  subject  to  sprains;  short 
or  upright  pasterns  make  a  horse  unpleasant  to  ride,  and,  on  account  of  extra  concussions,  are  apt  to 
cause  ossific  deposits. 

"  Or  a  horse  with  toes  turned  in  or  out.  The  twist  generally  occurs  at  the  fetlock.  Toes  turned 
out  are  more  objectionable  than  toes  turned  in.  When  toes  turn  out  the  fetlocks  are  generally  turned 
in,  and  animals  so  formed  are  very  apt  to  cut  or  brush.     Both,  however,  are  weak  formations. 

"  Reject  a  horse  whose  hind  legs  are  too  far  behind;  good  propelling  power  will  be  wanting, 
and  disease  as  a  result  may  be  expected  in  the  hocks.  And  a  horse  which  goes  either  very  wide  or 
very  close  behind,  and  one  with  very  straight  or  very  bent  hocks;  the  former  cause  undue  concus- 
sion ;  the  latter  are  apt  to  give  way. 

"Reject  a  horse  that  is 'split-up'— that  is,  shows  much  daylight  between  his  thighs;  propelling 
power  comes  from  behind,  and  must  be  deficient  in  horses  without  due  muscular  development  between, 
the  thighs. 

"  Reject  a  horse  with  flat  or  over  large  feet,  or  with  very  small  feet;  medium  sized  are  best. 
"  Also  a  horse  with  one  foot  smaller  than  another." 

It  may  be  stated  that  the  trotting  gait  seems  to  depend  not  more  upon  conforma- 
tion than  upon  an  innate  tendency,  « instinct,"  in  the  horse  to  go  at  that  gait.  Possi- 
bly  we  might  even  say  probably — the  relative  lengths  of  thigh  and   distance   from 

hip  to  hock,  and  the  two  as  compared  with  length  below  the  hock  may  aid  this  ten- 
dency in  permitting  great  speed  on  the  track.  Most  of  our  famous  trotters  have  shown 
a  long  hind  leverage— 39  to  42  inches  from  hip  to  hock,  and  a  corresponding  23  to  24 
inch  thigh.  Another  point  of  interest  is  found  in  the  fact,  that  a  horse  with  long 
forearm  and  short  front  cannon  will  trot  with  an  easy  deceiving  action,  bending  the 
knee  but  little,  and  never  "  pounding"  heavily,  even  at  greatest  speed. 

vSoundness  (by  which  is  meant  freedom  from  disease  or  any  abnormal  feature)  is 
of  prime  importance,  especially  in  selecting  for  stud  use;  and  while  we  cannot  under- 
take a  description  of  the  numerous  lilemishes  and  diseases  to  which  the  horse  is  sub- 
ject, we  may  call  brief  attention  to  the  nature  and  relative  consequence  of  some  of  the 
more  common  troubles: 

"Founder"  (Laminitis  in  its  various  forms)  is  caused  by  over-heating,  over-feed- 
ing, or  drinking  to  excess.  Although  a  systemic  disturbance,  it  is  usually  manifested 
in  the  feet,  and  a  horse  once  foundered  is  very  likely  afterward  to  have  frequent 
trouble  in  these  parts.  "Sweeny"  (Atrophy  or  Shrinking  of  the  shoulder  muscles) 
is  another  manifestation  of  injury,  which  can  be  "cured,"  but  is  always  liable  to  reap- 
pear on  slight  provocation.  A  sweenied  horse,  no  matter  how  thoroughly  he  may 
have  been  "cured,"  it  is  always  safe  to  reject. 

Corns  may  be  easily  detected  by  tapping  sharply  with  any  blunt  pointed  instru- 
ment on  the  sole  of  the  foot,  in  the  angle  formed  by  the  wall  at  the  quarter  and  the 
inflected  portion  bounding  either  side  of  the  frog;  they  never  appear  in  any  other 
place.  Bad  corns  are  very  hard  to  cure,  and  a  horse  thus  afflicted  had  best  be  thrown 
out;  but  mild  corns— caused  usually  by  poor  shoeing— can  be  easily  and  permanently 
cured,  and  need  not  weigh   heavily   against  the  purchase  of  an  otherwise  desirable 


74  HINTS  ON   SELECTION,  CARE   AND  MANAGEMENT  OF   HORSES. 

horse.  Contracted  feet,  also  caused  liy  improper  shoeing,  may  be  placed  in  the  same 
class  as  corns.  Both  these  troubles,  if  mild,  may  be  cured,  as  a  rule,  by  removing 
shoes,  paring  down  the  foot  at  the  quarters,  and  letting  the  animal  run  at  grass,  bare- 
footed, for  a  month  or  six  weeks. 

Spavin  in  all  its  forms  is  a  trouble  we  have  always  been  afraid  of;  some  writer 
has  called  it  "the  sum  of  all  villainy  in  horse-flesh"— and  so  it  is.  It  affects  the  hind 
leg  at  the  hock  joint,  sometimes  as  a  watery  swelling  in  front  called  "Bog  Spavin," 
or  in  the  rear  on  either  side  of  the  hamstring,  when  it  is  called  "  Thoroughpin,"  but 
in  any  case,  it  is  liable  to  affect  the  small  bones  of  this  region,  cause  abnormal  bone 
deposit,  and  become  the  justly  dreaded  "Bone  Spavin,"  by  which  so  many  originally 
valuable  animals  are  ruined  annually.  By  all  means  reject  a  horse  showing  any  indi- 
cation of  Spavin  or  of  "  treatment "  for  Spavin. 

Curb,  affecting  the  back  or  point  of  the  hock,  is  of  less  moment;  it  is  generally 
caused  by  kicking  against  something  hard,  or  habitually  stepping  over  something 
just  high  enough  to  strike  the  heel  in  passing.  If  the  injury  is  recent,  frequent  and 
vigorous  rubbing  will  effect  a  cure;  if  bone  deposit  has  formed,  it  will  always  leave  a 
blemish,  but  the  horse  may  be — and  usually  is— serviceably  sound.  Splint — usually 
appearing  as  a  hard  bunch  on  the  inner  side  of  a  front  cannon,  but  sometimes  on 
either  side  of  any  cannon,  front  or  rear — is  another  trouble  about  like  curb;  it  leaves 
a  blemish,  and  of  course  prevents  great  speed,  but,  for  ordinary  use,  the  animal  is  as 
good  as  ever. 

Ringbone  affects  the  bones  of  the  pastern — making  a  bony  bunch  of  considerable 
size — and  causing,  usually,  serious  lameness.  It  is  considered  incurable.  Horses  with 
short,  upright  pasterns,  are  much  more  subject  to  this  trouble,  and  to  the  next,  than  are 
those  with  pasterns  of  an  opposite  character.  Cofhn  joint  lameness  (Navicular  dis- 
ease) is  one  of  those  troubles  about  which  little  is  really  known,  but  much  wi'itten. 
The  Coffin  or  Navicular  joint  is  just  within  the  hoof,  and  hence,  practically,  inacces- 
sible for  treatment.  As  noted  under  Ringbone,  horses  with  vertical  pasterns  are  more 
subject  to  these  troubles  and  should  be  rejected,  especially  when  selecting  for  light 
wagon  or  carriage  use. 

Concerning  care  and  management,  it  has  been  our  aim  to  secure  statements,  from 
successful  breeders,  of  the  actual  methods  employed  by  them  in  feeding,  handling  and 
breeding  stock.  In  these  statements  are  represented  breeders  of  various  classes  of 
stock,  and  in  different  climates;  and  we  present  the  following  letters,  in  the  firm  belief 
that  the  information  thus  given  is  well  worth  a  careful  study : 

French  Drafts  Percherotis  a?td   Trotters. 

"Houston,  Tex.,  July  17,  1888. 
*         *         *         * 

"  In  the  growing  of  horses,  my  object  has  been  to  produce  the  best  horse  at  the  least  expense, 
and  to  accomplish  this,  I  have  spared  no  pains  in  first  securing  the  best  of  sires,  and  then  providing 
clean,  wholesome  stables,  well  ventilated,  with  pure  water  and  wholesome  food;  usually  feeding  oats 
twice  a  day  and  wheat  bran  once,  but  an  occasional  gradual  change  from  oats  to  corn  I  have  found 
advisable  in  maintaining  the  appetite.  I  give  every  sire  at  least  five  miles  exercise  per  A&y.  I  regard 
this  exercise  as  of  special  importance  in  the  season  for  actual  service.  He  is  then  always  healthful 
and  vigorous.  This  applies  to  either  pure-bred  or  standard-bred  sires  that  are  kept  up,  and  served  to 
halter  to  choice  mares,  when  registration  of  their  progeny   is  required.      Less    valuable   sires,  when 


HINTS    ON    SELECTION,    CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    HORSES.  75 

their  progeny  are  supposed  to  sell  only  on  their  individual  merits,  I  have  found  it  more  economical 
and  raised  a  larger  percentage  of  colts,  to  turn  them  out  in  pastures  with  a  limited  number  of  mares, 
not  to  exceed  25,  not  failing  to  give  them  a  feed  of  oats  each  day  to  keep  them  strong  and  vigorous; 
and,  in  fact,  "turned  loose"  is  the  most  natural  way,  and  in  all  classes  of  breeding,  it  has  been  mv 
experience  that  to  assist  nature  is  the  best  that  we  can  do. 

"In  providing  food  for  mares,  we  have  found  it  most  satisfactory  and  economical  to  cut  and 
stack  hay  in  pastures,  the  stacks  serving  as  food  and  shelter,  and  with  much  less  expense  and  waste 
than  any  other  way.  Colts,  when  of  sufficient  age  to  take  from  their  mothers,  we  catch,  halter  and 
hitch  in  stable,  until  they  learn  to  eat,  and  lose  all  fear  of  being  handled,  and  when  again  caught,  if 
not  until  maturity,  they  will  not  forget  their  early  handling  at  the  halter.  We  then  turn  them  in  pas- 
ture by  themselves,  where  they  have  all  the  hay,  oats  and  bran  they  will  eat  the  first  winter.  They 
have  then  arrived  at  the  age  of  one  year,  in  a  thrifty,  growing  condition,  and  will  take  care  of  them- 
selves in  pasture  until  matured  to  the  age  of  3  or  4  years,  suitable  to  break  to  saddle  and  harness.  At 
this  time  avoid  'breaking'  their  temper  and  constitution,  but  on  the  contrary  through  a  process  of 
kindness,  teach  them  to  lose  all  fear,  and  when  this  is  accomplished,  the  natural  instincts  control,  and 
they  will  then  intelligently  respond  to  all  reasonable  calls.  A  little  feed  in  winter,  where  circum- 
stances and  numbers  will  admit,  would  be  a  judicious  expense. 

Yours  very  truly,  H.  B.  Sanborn." 

Mr.  Sanborn's  methods  give  a  clear  idea  of  handling  for  profit  in  the  Southwest. 
The  practice  of  breaking  colts  at  an  early  age  can  not  be  too  strongly  in-ged ;  once 
trained,  the  spirit  of  obedience  to  a  master's  will  is  never  lost.  The  natural  wav  of 
breeding — "turned  loose" — is  the  practice  adopted  by  all  breeders  of  ponv  mares  to 
common  stallions,  and  is  satisfactory  so  far  as  percentage  of  foals  to  service  is  con- 
cerned ;  but  it  must  be  remembered  that  to  secure  higher  results — as  Mr.  Sanborn 
states — nature  needs  a  large  amount  of  assistance — indeed,  a  verv  high  type  of  skilled 
"Art"  is  required  to  develop  and  bring  to  the  surface  the  actual,  but  latent,  merit  of 
an  individual  or  breed. 

Clevelajid  Bays^  English  Shires  and  Clydesdales. 

"Springfield,  III.,  August  10th,  1888.      * 
*         *         *         *  * 

"  My  way  of  handling  a  stallion  is  as  follows:  During  the  winter,  whilst  I  give  him  a  fair  allow- 
'ance  of  grain,  mixed  with  bran,  and  cut  hay  or  oat  sheaves,  I  do  not  let  him  ^et  too  fleshy,  giving 
him  good  exercise  daily,  and  a  few  weeks  prior  to  commencing  the  season,  increase  his  allowance  of 
grain  (chiefly  oats)  so  that  on  going  on  the  stand,  the  horse  is  improving  (/.  ^.,  fleshing  up).  Whilst 
making  a  season,  I  give  a  horse  all  he  will  eat  (without  crowding  him),  and  in  addition  to  the  grain 
feed,  give  where  possible  some  green  feed,  once  or  twice  per  day.  If  not  available,  then  the  best  hay 
morning  and  night.     I  usually  feed  one  meal  per  da^',  damped  with  water. 

"  With  regard  to  breeding  or  brood  mares,  would  say :  If  there  is  sufficient  good  nutritious  grass 
available,  they  should  not  require  anything  else,  but  a  mare  to  be  bred  should  also  be  improving  in 
flesh,  and  will  be  much  more  liable  to  get  in  foal  under  such  conditions;  a  little  extra  feed  at  this  time 
is  not  thrown  away. 

"  In  addition  to  their  mothers'  milk,  colts  should  have  access  to  a  feed  of  crushed  oats  and  bran, 
at  least  twice  daily,  and  although  many  think  this  unnecessary,  I  think  the  growth  and  superiority  of 
colts  reared  under  these  conditions,  will,  after  being  once  tried,  convince  the  most  skeptical,  of  the 
benefits  to  be  derived  from  a  generous  feed  in  addition  to  that  provided  by  nature;  besides,  a  colt  is  so 
much  more  easily  weaned  when  taught  to  eat  and  look  out  for  himself  when  young.  All  colts  should 
be  handled,  haltered  and  broke  when  three  years  old.         *        *        *        * 

Yours  truly,  R.  P.  Stericker." 

Mr.  Stericker  believes  in  feeding  his  colts,  and  we  think  the  point  is  well  taken. 
At   no   other  time   in   the   period   of  horse  existence  will  a  little  feed  give  such  large 


76  HINTS   OX    SELECTION,  CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    HORSES. 

return  as  during  the  first  and  second  years,  and  the  so-called  economy  of  short  rations- 
at  this  time,  is  really  the  very  opposite  of  economy  in  fact. 

Cleveland  Bays  and  English  Shires. 
"  Cedar  Falls  Stock  Farm,  Cedar  Falls,  Iowa,  Aug.  15,  1888. 

*  *        *        * 

"  Having  so  many  stallions,  it  is  impracticable  to  give  them  harness  or  saddle  exercise  as 
required.  We  have,  however,  large  well  fenced  exercising  grounds  into  which  they  are  turned  singly, 
dailv.  The  exercise  and  rolling  contact  with  mother  earth,  voluntarily  taken  in  the  sunlight,  aids  to 
keep  them  healthv.  They  have  box  stalls  well  lighted  and  ventilated,  with  earth  floors  and  perfect  clean- 
liness. Their  food  in  the  off  season,  should  be  clean,  bright  hay,  oats  mixed  with  bran  or  shorts,  and 
once  or  twice  a  week,  some  vegetables.  It  is  also  desirable  to  cut  and  save  in  cellar  for  winter,  sods 
of  grass,  to  give  them  occasionally,  which  are  eaten  with  avidity  and  benefit.  In  very  cold  weather 
a  little  corn  would  aid  in  maintaining  animal  heat,  but  we  use  it  very  sparingly.  In  case  of  hard 
fjeces,  indicating  costiveness,  steep  half  pint  of  flaxseed,  and  feed  with  oats.  We  aim  to  keep  them 
in  good  heart  through  the  winter,  but  not  fleshy.  In  the  breeding  season,  the  ration  is  more  liberal 
and  supplemented  by  half  pint  to  a  pint  of  hempseed  (which  is  not  a  drug  and  is  harmless)  say  three 
times  a  week,  and  raw  eggs  about  as  often,  mixed  with  the  feed.  Fresh  grass  is  always  craved  and  is 
beneficial.  For  mares,  free  run  in  pasture  on  grass— the  natural  food— is  best,  with,  when  necessary, 
some  oats  and  bran.  Toward  time  for  stinting  to  the  horse,  half  pint  of  hempseed  is  desirable  three 
times  a  week,  and  for  a  short  time  after  service.  It  is  undoubtedly  good  for  both  stallions  and  mares 
to  have  reasonable,  careful  work  at  proper  times,  to  develop  stamina  and  muscle  and  give  constitution 
to  offspring.  Colts  should  run  freely  in  pasture  and  have,  when  on  dry  food,  a  few  oats,  bran  and 
vegetables;  kept  growing  thriftily  but  not  pampered;  should  be  handled  often,  firmly  but  kindly. 
This  should  also  be  the  rule  in  handling  stallions. 

Very  respectfully,  W.  M.  Fields  &  Bro." 

The  Cedar  Falls  Stock  Farm  is  well  known  as  carrying  an  excellent  stock  of 
horses.  Mr.  Fields  admits  that  it  is  impossible,  on  account  of  the  number  on  hand,  to 
give  each  stallion  the  exercise  which  should  be  given,  but  thinks  they  have  adopted 
the  next  best  plan — daily  yard  runs  in  the  open  air.  In  lieu  of  the  green  sods  cut  and 
kept  for  winter  use  as  suggested,  we  have  understood  that  ensilage  in  small  quantities 
has  been  used  to  advantage,  and  we  should  think  the  practice  would  involve  much  less 
trouble  and  expense. 

American    Trotters. 

"Willow  Lawn  Farm,  Waverly,  Iowa,  July  26th,  1888. 

*  *        *        * 

"As  I  have  been  away  from  home  since  July  1st,  have  had  no  time  to  prepare  statement  of 
care  of  mares  and  colts,  as  requested;  but  our  practice  is  to  keep  as  close  to  nature  as  possible,  giving 
mares  entire  freedom,  and  feeding  only  such  grain  as  is  necessary  to  keep  them  in  fine  condition  at 
all  times.  Our  colts  are  constantly  handled  by  quiet,  careful  men,  so  that  when  ready  to  put  in  har- 
ness, we  have  seldom  any  trouble  with  them.  We  have  about  50  high  bred  mares,  and  we  try  to  give 
each  mare  and  colt  such  care  as  their  individual  condition  requires. 

Very  truly  yours,  J.  H.  Bowman." 

Knowing  the  high  character  of  "  Willow  Lawn"  stud,  we  can  only  express  regret 
that  Mr.  Bowman  had  not  time  to  give  us  a  more  extended  outline  of  his  practice. 

Draft  and  Trotting  Horses. 

"  FisKviLLE,  Travis  County,  Texas,  Aug.  27th,  1888. 

*  *        *        * 

"  In  keeping  stallions  for  public  service,  I  have  handled  each  year,  for  the  past  fifteen  years, 
from  50  to  150  mares;  one  stallion  that  1  stood  six  consecutive  seasons,  averaged,  according  to  accu- 


HINTS    ON    SELECTION,   CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT   OK    HORSES.  77 

rate,  written  records,  83  per  cent,  of  foals  to  mares  served,  and  all  animals  handled  by  me  have  aver- 
aged about  75  per  cent.,  whilst  I  do  not  think  the  general  average  will  exceed  50  per  cent,  of  foals  to 
mares  served. 

"  My  practice  is  to  have  the  stallion  in  strong,  vigorous  condition,  and  to  keep  him  so,  through- 
out the  breeding  season — say  from  March  1st  to  July  1st — by  constant  and  abundant  exercise;  and  no 
plan  will  give  this  needed  exercise  in  so  desirable  and  economical  shape,  as  to  make  a  business  horse 
of  him — under  the  saddle  and  in  harness,  one  or  both.  The  constant  use,  association  and  control,  by 
his  master,  renders  him  obedient,  manageable,  and  safe;  whilst  it  also  keeps  all  the  vital  organs  in  full 
and  vigorous  play — which  gives  a  larger  per  cent,  of  foals  from  his  service,  and  with  more  constitu- 
tion and  vitality.     I  wish  to  emphasize  this  point,  for  it  is  opposite  to  the  prevailing  custom. 

"  Next,  be  sure  your  mare  is  in  season  (heat)  when  the  stallion  serves  her;  it  requires  experience 
to  determine  this  accurately — mares  vary  greatly  in  temperament,  or  nervous  organization,  and  con- 
sequently conduct  themselves  differently  in  the  presence  of  the  stallion.  Such  mares  as  have 
dropped  foals,  will,  almost  invariably,  be  in  heat  in  from  seven  to  ten  days  after  foaling,  and  with  all 
mares — but  especially  those  with  young  colts  by  their  sides,  restrain  the  stallion,  compelling  him  to 
approach  the  pole  slowly  and  carefully,  so  as  to  allay  her  fear  on  behalf  of  the  colt.  I  always  have 
the  colt  accompany  its  mother,  else  she  is  fretting  for  it,  and  it  is  more  difficult  to  ascertain  her  true 
condition.  After  the  first  service  by  stallion,  it  is  plain  sailing;  if  the  mare's  condition  is  normal 
until  she  is  safe  in  foal,  heat  will  recur  at  intervals  of  21  days,  varying  a  little  with  the  individual; 
thus  you  will  see  why  a  reasonable  degree  of  success  attends  those  who  practice  returning  rriares  on 
the  seventh  or  ninth  day  after  service.  My  observation  has  been  that  mares  carry  a  heat,  on  the 
average,  five  days. 

"When  foaling  time  is  at  hand  see  that  the  mare  is  exposed  to  no  extra  risks,  then  let  her  alone. 
When  the  mother's  milk  fails  to  keep  the  foal  fat  feed  her  grain  to  enrich  it,  and  that  the  colt  may 
learn  to  eat  and  digest  the  grain  perfectly  before  weaning  time,  which  should  be  done  at  from  six  to 
eight  months  of  age,  at  which  time  it  should  be  abundantly  and  regularly  supplied  with  nutritious 
food.  Oats  and  bran  are  my  choice,  with  corn  added  as  cold  weather  comes  on ;  the  desideratum 
being  to  keep  up  thrift  and  growth  from  birth  to  maturity.  If  this  is  interrupted  at  any  stage,  one 
loses  not  only  in  size,  but  in  style  or  symmetry.  Where  growing  colts  are  thus  constantly  associated 
with  man,  the  breaking  in  to  service  is  a  simple  thing;  the  transition  is  so  easy  and  natural  that  they 
hardly  know  it,  and  where  light  and  occasional  work  is  performed  by  them  between  the  second  and 
third  years,  by  the  time  maturity  is  reached,  the  animals  are  thoroughly  developed,  trained  and  safe, 
and  will  command  the  very  highest  market  price  for  their  respective  kinds.  In  fact,  from  discrimin- 
ating buyers,  a  horse  known  to  be  thus  raised  and  trained  will  command  an  extra  price. 

Very  truly  yours,  C.  A.  Graves." 

Mr.  Graves  is  careful  to  emphasize  the  necessity  for  actual  use,  either  under  the 
saddle  or  in  harness,  of  service  stallions;  and  brings  out  clearly  the  points  in  breeding 
on  which  beginners  are  apt  to  stumble.  His  letter  contains  some  valuable  information 
well  worth  remembering. 


PAn?X    SECOND. 


OMT-TLE 


DAIRY    BREEDS. 

PAGE 

Holstein-Friesians Chapter  XVIII 80 

Jerseys "       XIX 86 

Guernseys "       XX 91 

Ayrshires "        XXI 93 

Dutch-Belted "       XXII 98 

American  Holderness "       XXIII 103 

Brown   Swiss "       XXIV 105 

Brittanies "       XXV 108 

Kerries "        XXVI 110 

GENERAL   PURPOSE  BREEDS. 

Shorthorns Chapter  XXVII , 113 

Red  Polled "       XXVIII 120 

Devons "       XXIX 124 

Longhorns "       XXX 128 

Normandies "        XXXI 130 

North-Wales-Black "       XXXII 133 

Pembrokes "       XXXIII 136 


H EREFORDs Chapter  XXXIV 137 

Galloways "  XXXV 144 

Aberdeen- Angus "  XXXVI 148 

Sussex "  XXXVII 152 

Simmknthal "  XXXVIII 154 

Brahmins  (Zebu) "  XXXIX 157 

West-Highlands "  XL 160 

Texans "  XLI 164 

HINTS  ON  SELECTION,  CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT. 

Chapter  XLII ^^^ 


:80  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIANS. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 


HOLSTEIN-FRIESIANS. 

To  trace  tlie  early  history  and  establish  the  origin  of  this  now  firmly  settled  and 
improved  breed,  it  is  necessary  to  go  back  over  the  much  disputed  ground,  until  recently 
bitterly  contested  by  the  Holstein.  and  the  Dutch-Friesian  Associations.  The  Friesians, 
or  North  Hollanders,  from  the  earliest  history  have  dwelt  along  the  shores  of  the 
North  Sea,  and  have  possessed  abundance  of  cattle;  their  history  dates  as  far  back  as 
300  B.  C,  and  their  cattle  at  that  time  are  supposed  to  have  been  pure  white;  tradi- 
tion intimates  that  the  progenitors  of  the  breed  came  from  India,  but  we  have  no 
authentic  records  to  that  effect,  200  years  later,  the  Batavians  appear  in  history;  they 
settled  near  the  Friesians,  and  it  is  supposed  that  the  cattle  which  they  brought  with 
them  were  black.  From  the  crossing  of  these  two  breeds,  then,  might  easily  have 
arisen  the  black  and  white  color  of  the  present  breed;  however  vague  this  theory  of 
their  origin  may  be,  it  is  certain  that  these  two  tribes  or  provincial  nations  were  after- 
wards known  in  common,  and  together  celebrated  for  the  excellence  and  great  number 
■of  their  cattle — so  much  so,  indeed,  that  when  present  Holland  came  under  Roman 
authority,  the  Friesians  were  required  to  pay  an  annual  tax  in  hides,  horns  and  cattle: 
the  Batavians  chose  rather  to  furnish  soldiers,  and  from  this  time  on  they  seem  to  have 
relegated  to  the  Friesians  all  the  responsibility,  labor  and  emolument  arising  from  the 
cattle  industry. 

As  to  whether  the  cattle  of  Friesland  or  North  Holland  were  originally  obtained 
from  the  province  of  Holstein — lying  in  the  northern  part  of  Germany,  along  the 
border — or  the  exact  reverse;  or,  indeed,  as  to  the  truth  of  either  assertion,  it  is  not, 
now,  necessary  to  consider:  time  has  only  made  certain  what  all  candid  breeders  of 
either  Holsteins  or  Dutch-Friesians  never  denied — that  the  cattle  of  Holstein  and  those 
of  Friesland  or  North  Holland  are,  and  for  many  years  have  been,  practically  identi- 
cal. The  Holstein  Breeders  Association  was  organized  and  the  name  adopted  in  good 
faith — what  more  suitable  name  for  a  breed  than  that  of  the  country  in  which  it  has 
reached  perfection?  But  gradually  the  cattle  of  Holstein  were  culled  of  the  best 
specimens,  and  importers  began  to  secure  choice  animals  from  North  Holland,  calling 
them,  and  having  them  recorded  as,  Holsteins.  Possibly  this  fact  may  have  hastened 
the  organization  of  the  Dutch-Friesian  Association:  be  that  as  it  may,  the  latter  named 
society  was  organized  in  1877,  and  the  first  volume  of  the  Dutch-Friesian  Herd  Book 
of  America  appeared  in  1880.  To  a  careful  observer,  the  name  appeared  to  be  about 
the  only  real  difference  between  these  two  recognized  breeds,  and  attempts  were  early 
made  by  the  more  conservative  breeders  on  both  sides,  to  join  forces  and  admit  their 
identity,  by  importing  and  breeding  under  one  name  instead  of  two.  The  name  Hol- 
stein had  an  undoubted  priority  in  America,  and  the  black   and  white   cattle   of  Fries- 


HOLSTEIN-FKIESIANS. 


81 


82  HOLSTEIX-FRIESIANS. 

land  were  persistently   libeled  as  "Holsteins"  by  those  who  were  either  ignorant  of 
the  Friesian  name,  or  too  partisan  in  their  views  to  regard  it  with  fairness. 

The  Dutch-Friesian  breeders  scored  a  strong  point  in  their  favor  when  they  adopted 
for  their  Herd-Book  the  Main  or  Advanced  Register — of  which  we  will  speak  later — 
in  addition  to  the  usual  pedigree  register  of  other  breeds.  Selfish  interests  undoubt- 
edly operated  to  prevent  a  union  of  the  two  associations,  but  gradually  the  pi'essure  of 
public  opinion,  combined  with  the  good  sense  of  the  majority  of  breeders,  effected  a 
union:  a  joint  committee  having  been  appointed  for  the  purpose  of  drafting  a  plan 
for  consolidation,  the  two  associations  met  in  joint  session  May  26th,  1885,  and  form- 
ally adopted  the  plans  prepared  bv  the  committee.  The  Holstein-Friesian  Association 
(Thos.  B.  Wales,  of  Iowa  Cit}',  Secretary,)  retains  the  Advanced  Registry  feature, 
and  we  have  thought  best  to  insert  here  a  summary  of  the  rules  and  requirements  for 
admission  to  this  higher  record — condensed  from  the  full  regulations  adopted  by  the 
Association: 

First.     An  animal  must  be  eligible  to  record  in  the  Pedigree  Register. 

Second.  If  a  bull,  he  must  have  shown  his  superior  qualities  by  his  progeny, 
and  must  scale  at  least  80  points  of  the  scale  adopted;  if  a  cow,  she  must  have  borne 
a  calf, and  made  one  of  the  following  records:  If  calving  when  between  two  and  three 
years  old  (1)  a  minimum  record  of  10  lbs.  butter  in  seven  consecutive  days;  or  (2) 
7200  lbs.  milk  in  10  consecutive  months;  or  (8)  396  lbs.  milk  in  10  consecutive  days, 
and  a  second  record  (4)  of  132  lbs.  milk  in  10  consecutive  days,  made  at  any  time 
after  a  period  of  8  months  from  date  of  calving.  If  calving  when  between  three  and 
four  years  old — periods  same  as  above — (1)  a  minimum  of  12  lbs.  butter;  or  (2)  8500 
lbs.  milk;  or  (3)  473  lbs.  milk,  and  (4)  154  lbs.  milk.  If  calving  when  between  four 
and  five  years  old — periods  same  as  above — (1)  a  minimum  of  14  lbs.  butter;  or  (2) 
10,000  lbs.  milk;  or  (3)  550  lbs.  milk,  and  (4)  187  lbs.  milk.  If  calving  when  above 
five  years  of  age— periods  same  as  above — (1)  a  minimum  of  16  lbs.  butter;  or  (2) 
11,500  lbs.  milk;  or  (3)  633  lbs.  milk,  and  (4)  212  lbs.  milk.  All  the  records  must 
be  made  within  a  period  of  11  months  from  date  of  calving;  the  cow  must  be  milked 
clean  at  the  start,  and  days  must  be  counted  strictly — 24  hours  in  each;  butter  must  be 
salted  not  heavier  than  one  ounce  to  the  pound,  and  worked  free  from  excess  of  water 
or  buttermilk;  each  record  must  be  sworn  to  by  each  and  every  person  assisting  in 
making  it — including,  in  all  cases,  the  owner. 

description: 

In  outline  they  present  the  typical  milk  wedge  with  narrow  shoulder  points  and 
wide  strong  hips;  color  jet  black  and  pure  white,  more  or  less  evenly  variegated  over 
the  entire  body;  the  brush  of  the  tail  must  always  be  white  no  matter  how  strongly 
black  may  predominate  elsewhere;  the  tastes  of  breeders  differ  as  to  markings,  some 
preferring  an  excess  of  white,  or  at  least  evenly  variegated, -while  others  prefer  to 
breed  for  a  predominance  of  black,  confining  the  white  to  the  belly  line,  brush  and 
star  in  forehead.  In  size  they  are  fully  equal  to  the  Shorthorn  or  Hereford — bulls 
weighing  from  1900  to  2300  lbs.  and  cows  from  1200  to  1600  lbs.— lacking  the 
square  heavy  appearance  of  these  breeds,  but  suggesting  magnificent  constitutions  by 
their  powerful  frames.  The  head  is  long  with  very  little  flesh,  and  prominent  muzzle- 
veins;  the  mouth  large  and  coarse;    nostrils  large   and  flexible;   eyes   not  especially 


HOLSTEIN-FRIESIANS. 


83 


I  ^M"'^'~'^>^ 


-  m 


'.-^ 


y 


84  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIANS, 

prominent,  but  large,  bright  and  wide  apart;  face  beautifully  dished;  horns  small, 
clear  at  base,  with  black  tips,  usually  pointing  forward;  ears  large,  thin,  quick  in 
movement  and  of  a  yellowish  oily  texture  within;  neck  long,  slender  and  finely  taper- 
ing in  the  cow,  with  small  dewlap  suspended  from  lower  one-third — in  the  bull  the 
neck  should  still  be  fine  at  the  head,  but  heavy,  muscular  and  well  set  on  at  the  shoul- 
ders. The  shoulders  are  thin  above,  but  long  and  very  deep,  giving  a  much  greater 
shoulder-beef  capacity  than  would  appear  at  first  thought.  The  rib  arches  gradually 
increase  toward  the  loin  region,  giving  ample  room  in  the  abdominal  cavity,  and  by 
no  means  crowding  the  chest.  The  barrel  gradually  deepens  to  the  region  of  the  flank, 
which  is  low  and  well-muscled.  The  loin  is  full;  hips  wide  apart,  and  on  a  level  with 
the  back;  back  straight  throughout — although  in  some  of  the  best  milkers,  there  is 
more  or  less  drop  from  the  sacral  region;  buttocks  large,  and  the  angle  between  them 
in  the  cow  wide,  giving  ample  room  for  passage  of  foetus  at  parturition;  tail  long, 
slender  and  delicately  tapering  to  the  brush;  hind  quarters  very  heavy;  legs  rather 
longer  than  in  the  Shorthorn  or  Hereford,  but  straight  and  finely  formed^ — crooked 
legs  as  a  necessary  accompaniment  to  milking  qualities,  no  longer  exist.  The  udder 
should  be  broad,  square,  close  up  to  the  body  and  spreading  well  forward  on  to  the 
abdomen — long,  low  hanging  meaty  udders,  that  are  nearly  as  large  after  milking  as 
when  distended  with  milk,  are  very  objectionable;  teats  are  nearl}'  always  even,  good 
shape — not  conical — and  the  reservoirs  supplying  them  of  about  equal  dimensions  in 
the  four  divisions  of  the  udder;  escutcheon  varies,  and  to  select  well,  requires  an  accu- 
rate knowledge  of  these  peculiar  "mirrors,"  which  we  cannot  give  in  a  work  of  this 
kind.  (For  a  very  exhaustive  exposition  of  the  indications  of  escutcheons,  we  most 
heartily  recommend  the  American  translation  of  Guenon's  Milch  Cows.)  The  milk 
veins  are  remarkably  developed  in  the  best  specimens,  and  the  brisket,  while  not  so 
low  as  in  some  other  breeds,  is  broad  and  full.  The  skin  is  of  medium  thickness,  soft 
and  mellow  to  the  touch;  and  the  hair  short,  fine  and  close  lying.  The  following 
Scale  of  Points  was  adopted  August  12th,  1885,  and  is  now  in  general  use: 

cows.  BULLS. 

2 Head 2 

2 Forehead 2 

2 Face 2 

1 Ears 1 

2 Eyes , 2 

2 Horns 2 

4 Xeck 5 

3 shoulders 4 

6 Chest 8 

2 Crops 4 

3 Back 8 

5 Barrel 6 

5 Loin  and  Hips 5 

4 R  ump 5 

48 Forxvard 51 


HOLSTEIN-FRIESIANS.  85 

48 Forward 51 

4 Thurl 4 

4 Quarters 5 

2 Flanks 2 

5 Legs 6 

2 Tail 2 

10 Hair  and  Handlinj^ 10 

10 Mammary  Veins 10 

12 Udder  . . ." 

8 Escutcheon S 

Rudimentary  Teats 2 

100 Perfection 100 

CHARACTERISTICS,    USES    AND    ADAPTABILITY: 

The  prominent  characteristic  of  the  Holstein-Friesian  cow  lies  in  her  wonderful 
milk  production;  and  of  the  bull,  in  his  power  to  transmit  superior  milking  qualities 
to  his  offspring.  They  are  admittedly  a  superior  milk  breed,  giving  a  large  quantity 
of  milk,  especially  rich  in  casein,  and  fairly  good  in  butter  content.  Clothilde  pro- 
duced 26,021  lbs.  2  oz,  of  milk  in  one  year — the  second  largest  record  ever  made  by 
a  cow  of  any  breed;  she  has  also  a  record  of  28^1bs.  2i^  oz.  of  butter  in  seven  days- 
Recently  some  astonishing  results  have  been  obtained  in  the  butter  line:  a  Mercedes 
heifer,  property  of  Thomas  B.  Wales,  Jr.,  of  Iowa  City,  Iowa,  dropped  her  first  calf 
February  13th,  1887,  and  when  she  was  2  years  and  12  days  old,  commenced  a  seven 
days  test.  (See  rules  for  admission  to  Advanced  Register.)  She  produced  21  lbs.  8 
oz.  of  unsalted  butter  in  the  seven  days,  from  a  yield  of  312  lbs.  6  oz.  of  milk — said 
to  be  the  largest  certified  record,  with  one  exception,  ever  made  by  a  heifer.  That  this 
remarkably  high  butter  yield  is  unusual  must  be  admitted,  but  we  give  it  as  illustrat- 
ing the  future  possibilities  of  the  Holstein-Friesian  breed. 

Fieterje,  2nd,  property  of  Mr.  Dallas  B.  Whipple,  of  Cuba,  N.  Y.,  has  lately  com- 
pleted the  greatest  milk  record,  not  only  to  date,  but  that  is  likely  to  be  made  for  some 
time  to  come;  she  is  truly  a  wonderful  animal,  having  to  her  credit  112  lbs.  7  oz.  of 
milk  in  one  day;  3289  lbs.  10  oz.  in  31  consecutive  days,  and  the  enormous  amount  of 
30,318  lbs.  8  oz.  in  one  year  of  365  days — surpassing  the  great  yield  of  Clothilde  by 
4297  lbs.  and  proving  herself  the  largest  milker  in  the  world.  She  was  bred  by  T. 
K.  Cuperus  of  Boxum,  Friesland,  Holland;  calved  AjDril  25th,  1877,  and  imported 
Nov.  1st,  1882,  by  Mr.  A.  Bradley  of  Lee,  Mass. 

Touching  their  beef  qualities  we  have  yet  much  to  learn;  their  exponents  claim 
for  them  finely  marbled,  rich,  juicy  flesh,  while  the  opposite  faction  assert  that  they 
are  good  for  nothing  but  milk;  probably  a  mean  between  these  two  views  will  be 
found  more  nearly  correct.  That  the  grades  produced  by  using  Holstein-Friesian 
bulls  on  native  stock,  rank  well  in  size  and  thrift  with  the  grades  of  either  wShorthorn, 
Hereford  or  Galloway  lineage,  cannot  be  denied;  but  to  claim  as  fine  beef  qualities 
for  a  typical  milk  breed,  as  may  be  found  in  cattle  bred  especially  for  the  butcher's 
block,  is  too  much  like  the  theory  of  the  individual  who  claims  the  earth.  They  have 
size  and  vigor,  two  things  of  prime  value  in  grading  up  a  herd  of  native  stock,  and 


86  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIANS ^JERSEYS. 

are  especially  valuable  for  the  great  Southwest  for  the  reasons:  First,  that  they  rap- 
idly improve  the  milking  value  of  native  stock  by  grading;  and  Second,  that  so  far  as 
we  have  been  able  to  collect  statistics,  they  acclimate  in  the  fever  belt  with  greater 
ease  than  any  other  known  breed  of  improved  cattle.  They  are  ravenous  eaters,  bear 
forced  feeding  well,  and  give  good  return  for  extra  care. 

Our  illustrations  are  from  the  famous  Lakeside  Herd  at  Syracuse,  N.  Y.  Clo- 
thilde  we  have  already  mentioned;  Netherland  Prince  has  proven  his  great  value,  not 
only  to  his  owners,  but  to  the  entire  Holstein-Friesian  fraternity.  An  animal  of  fine 
parts  in  himself,  of  untarnished  ancestry,  and  showing  by  his  superior  get  a  wonderful 
power  of  transmission. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 


JERSEYS. 

This  breed — the  best  known  and  most  widely  distributed  of  the  Channel  Island 
groups — has  long  held  a  high  place  in  public  favor.  Although  there  is  no  doubt  that 
the  Jerseys  were  originally  from  Normandy  in  France,  they  were  long  ago  trans- 
planted, and  became  the  peculiar  breed  of  the  Channel  Islands.  There  are  four  of 
these  islands :  Jersey,  Guernsey,  Alderney  and  Serk — named  in  order  of  their  size — 
the  last  one,  Serk,  being  so  small  as  to  have  received  scarcely  any  notice  in  the  records 
of  the  Island  Breeds.  The  people  of  the  Islands  are  essentially  Norman  in  habits, 
appearance  and  dialect;  but  ever  since  Normandy  was  severed  from  English  sway, 
these  islands  have  remained,  as  their  inhabitants  evidently  desired,  a  dependency  of 
Great  Britain,  subject  to  her  rule,  and,  what  is  more  to  the  point,  her  protection.  The 
cattle  of  the  Islands,  although  at  first  considered  as  one  breed,  have,  within  the  last 
fifty  years,  gradually  drifted  apart,  until  now  there  are  recognized  two  distinct  breeds, 
corresponding  in  name  respectively  to  each  of  the  two  largest  islands.  Prof.  Low 
(1842)  seems  to  have  recognized  only  one  breed,  describing  that  one  under  the  name 
"Alderney,"  and  merely  mentioning  the  Jersey  and  Guernsey  breeds  in  an  incidental 
way.  In  America  this  condition  of  things  has  been  continually  reversed — ^Jerseys 
receiving  most  marked  attention  and  entirely  absorbing  the  Alderney  name;  while  the 
Guernseys,  until  late  years  few  in  numbers,  have  been  frequently  compelled  to 
struggle  even  for  recognition  as  a  distinct  breed. 

►  _  Improvement  of  both  groups  was  effected  by  the  kindly  care  and  attention  lavished 
upon  them.  In  no  portion  of  the  world  probably  is  there  more  attention  given  to  the 
comforts  of  the  cow;  she  is  the  main-stay  and  source  of  revenue  to  her  owner,  and 
holds  a  place  in  his  affections  justified  by  her  financial  importance.  Under  these 
conditions,  supplemented  by  judicious  selection  in  breeding,  they  have  risen  to  their 
present  merited  position.  In  the  United  States,  superior  inducements  have  caused 
extra  effort  toward  improvement,  and  the  establishing  of  so-called  fancy  strains,  until 
it  may  be  safely  asserted  that  there  are  as  good  Jerseys  bred  in  America  as  can  be 


JEitSEVS. 


67 


-^     00 

%  c 
%    r 


88  JERSEYS. 

found  among  those  bred  in  their  native  Islands.  Their  importation  to  America  dates 
from  as  early  as  1880,  and  from  1850  to  the  present  time  has  been  rapid  and  sys- 
tematic. 

DESCRIPTION    OF    THE    MODERN    JERSEY: 

There  are  four  different  markings  or  styles  of  color  to  be  found  among  registered 
Jerseys;  and,  as  tastes  differ,  each  style  is  in  sufficient  demand  to  justify  the  continued 
supply.  (1)  Fawn  and  white,  evenly  variegated;  (2)  solid  fawn;  (3)  brown  and 
white;  and  (4)  solid  brown.  (Solid  color  means  all  one  color,  that  is,  without  admix- 
ture of  white.  The  solid  browns,  however,  gradually  deepen  to  almost  pure  black  at 
the  head  and  lower  joints  of  the  legs,  forming  what  are  termed  "black  points."  With 
the  solid  fawns  there  are  also  darker  points,  so  that  the  term  "solid  color"  may  now 
be  understood  to  include  several  widely  different  shades  of  the  same  color.) 

In  all  of  these  styles  of  color,  there  is  invariably  a  peculiar  light,  mealy-colored 
ring  of  hair  just  at  the  edge  of,  and  encircling,  the  nostrils — generally  considered  the 
distinctive  mark  by  which  even  low  grade  Jerseys  may  be  recognized;  this  same  mark, 
however,  in  slightly  different  shade,  is  frequently  met  with  among  the  unimproved 
Texas  cattle — a  f;.ct  which  may  serve  to  trace  some  possible  relation  between  them, 
through  the  old  Spanish  cattle  from  which  the  Texas  stock  originally  sprang. 

The  head  is  small,  full  fleshed,  broad  at  the  forehead  and  narrow  between  horns, 
with  strongly  dished  face;  large,  expressive  eyes,  set  wide  apart;  thin,  delicate  ears, 
and  small,  crumpled,  amber  colored  horns.  The  neck  is  thin,  long,  fine  at  the  head, 
and  set  into  the  shoulders  "ewe-necked";  shoulders  thin  and  light;  forward  ribs  flat, 
"fish-backed,"  but  increasing  in  curvature  to  the  loin;  hips  fairly  wide,  but  rump  nar- 
row, and  buttocks  lean;  body  deepest  at  the  flank,  presenting  the  V  shaped  outline  of 
all  milk  breeds;  front  legs  short,  fine  boned,  straight  and  small — hind  legs  somewhat 
coarser,  and,  in  the  less  improved  animals,  rather  crooked.  XThe  best  improved  speci- 
mens have  been  bred  away  from  the  crooked  hocks  of  their  ancestors,  and  can  present 
as  straight  and  clean  a  pair  of  heels  as  one  would  wish  to  see.  The  Jersey  udder  as  a 
rule  is  not  large,  but  its  capacity  is  good,  and  the  escutcheon,  in  all  its  forms,  is  built 
upon  the  rich  orange  yellow  skin,  which  clearly  marks  the  dominant  characteristic  of 
the  animal — butter.  The  general  appearance  of  the  Jersey  is  that  of  all  highly  sensi- 
tive, nervous  temperaments;  and,  taken  in  connection  with  its  peculiar  color,  furnishes 
a  striking  resemblance  to  the  well-known  Southern  deer. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  was  adopted  May  6th,  1885,  by  the  American  Jersey 
Cattle  Club  (F.  W.  Wicks  of  New  York  City,  Secretary),  and  is  now  in  general  use: 

cows.  BULLS. 

2 Head 2 

1 Eyes 1 

8 Neck 8 

1 Back 1 

6 Loin 6 

10 Barrel 10 

10 Hips  and  Rump 10 

38 Forward 38 


<,  JERSEYS. 


89 


90  JERSEYS. 

38 Forward 38 

2 Legs 2 

1 Tail 1 

5 Skin 5 

13 Fore  Udder 

11 Hind  Udder 

10 Teats 10 

5 Milk  Veins 

5 Disposition 5 

10 General  Appearance  and  Constitution. ...  10 

Progeny   (for   Bulls  when  exhibited  in  a 

separate  class  with  their  progeny) 29 

100 Perfection 100 

In  judging  heifers,  use  same  scale  as  for  cows,  omitting  numbers  11,  12  and  14. 

CHARACTERISTICS  : 

As  indicated  above,  the  all-absorbing  trait  of  the  Jersey  cow,  is  the  uniform  rich- 
ness of  her  milk  in  butter  content;  the  globules  are  large,  causing  the  cream  to  separ- 
ate easily  and  quickly  from  the  body  of  the  milk;  and  the  butter  produced  from  it  is 
naturally  more  highly  colored,  under  the  same  conditions  as  to  food  and  care,  than  that 
of  any  other  breed  except,  perhaps.  Guernseys.  In  size  the  Jersey  ranks  with  the 
small  breeds,  mature  bulls  weighing  from  1000  to  1300  lbs.,  cows  from  650  to  950  lbs. 

As  a  family  cow  to  supply  cream  or  butter,  or  both,  for  the  home  table,  the 
Jersey  has  no  superior.  For  the  butter  dairy,  as  a  special  purpose  cow,  she  is  also 
excellent,  if  not  Queen.  To  show  the  capabilities  of  the  Jersey  breed  for  butter,  we 
give  the  following  records  of  cows  under  extra  conditions: 

Landseer's  Fancy  made  936  lbs.,  14%^  oz.  in  one  year;  Massena  made  902  lbs.,  3 
oz.;  Matilda  4th,  made  927  lbs.,  8j^  oz.  These  are  of  course  rare  cases;  a  yield  of 
300  lbs.  butter  to  the  cow  is  more  than  an  average. 

The  beef  capacity  of  the  breed  is  small.  If  sex  in  offspring  could  be  controlled, 
it  might  be  profitable  to  breed  Jerseys  on  a  large  scale  for  their  butter  feature  alone; 
but  since  the  number  of  steer  calves  is  usually  equal  to  the  number  of  heifers,  and 
since  there  is  always  a  greater  or  less  number  of  heifers  deficient  in  milking  quality, 
which  must  be  fed  for  the  butcher,  it  is  evident  that  breeding  Jerseys  for  home  use — 
not  for  sale  as  breeding  stock — might  prove  a  losing  business. 

The  farmer  who  keeps  a  few  cows  and  depends  on  the  annual  sale  of  a  few  fat 
steers  to  meet  his  expenses,  demands  a  breed  of  larger  frame  and  greater  aptitude  for 
beef;  but  in  their  legitimate  sphere,  Jerseys  must  always  rank  deservedly  high. 

It  is  very  commonly  stated  that  the  bulls  of  this  breed  are  vicious  and  ill-tem- 
pered. We  think  this  opinion  is  based  upon  nothing  more  than  the  fact  of  their 
extremely  nervous  temperament,  already  referred  to.  They  undoubtedly  require 
skillful  handling;  but  when  so  managed,  are  not  more  inclined  to  viciousness  than  the 
bulls  of  other  breeds.  Because  there  are  at  present  so  many  Jerseys  in  the  Southern 
States  there  has  arisen  a  very  popular  but  erroneous  notion,  that  they  acclimate  with 
greater  safety  than  cattle  of  other  breeds;   the  real  facts  in  the  case  are  that  at  least 


JERSEYS GUERNSEYS.  91 

three  of  the  improved  breeds  rank  ahead  of  them  in  this  respect — their  greater  number 
in  the  South  being  due  to  their  earlier  importation,  and  hence  longer  period  for  the 
breeding  of  acclimated  stock. 

A  study  of  the   illustrations  engraved    after  sketches   from   life,  by  well-known 
artists,  will  give  a  good  idea  of  the  appearance  of  this  valuable  bred. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


GUERNSEYS. 


This  breed,  having  an  origin  probably  identical  with  that  of  the  Jersey,  ha* 
rapidly,  but  surely  increased,  both  in  popularity  and  inherent  worth.  Near  the  large 
cities  of  the  United  States,  Guernseys  are  now  found  in  considerable  numbers,  and 
there  is  a  growing  sentiment  in  their  favor  throughout  the  entire  country.  They 
were  introduced  into  America  about  the  time  of  the  first  Jersey  importations,  but  have 
not  become  so  widely  distributed  nor  so  generally  known. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

These  points  may  be  best  studied  by  comparing  them  bricily  w  ith  the  full  des- 
cription of  the  Jersey  already  given.  They  are  larger  and  coarser,  being  rather 
inclined  to  appear  bony.  Color  varies;  vellow,  yellowish  or  reddish  fawn,  and 
brown,  of  solid  colors,  frequently  with  considerable  spotting  of  white,  and  showing 
the  same  mealy-colored  ring — although  less  marked — about  the  nostrils.  Bones  are 
larger,  head   longer,   and   general  appearance  indicative  more  of  utility  tlian  lieautN  _ 


IMPORTED  GUERNSEY  COW,  SELECT,  2205. 

Property  of  J.  W.  Fi  i.i.kk,  tatasauciua,  Pa. 


92 


GUERNSEYS. 


She  is,  like  her  Jersey  sister,  a  milk  and  butter  cow,  and  in  her  place  ranks  as  good  as 
the  best.  The  butter  made  from  Guernsey  cows  is  claimed  to  be  even  more  highly 
colored  than  that  from  the  Jersey. 

The   following   Scale   of   Points   has  been   adopted  by   the  American  Guernsey 
Cattle  Club  (Edward  Norton,  of  Farmington,  Conn.,  Secretary): 

(  Skin   deep  3'ellow,  in  ear,  on  end  of  bone  of  tail,  at  base  of 

Quality  of  milk,  80  I         horn,  on  udder,  teats  and  body  generally 20 

(  Skin  loose,  mellow,  with  fine,  soft  hair 10 

f  Escutcheon  wide  on  thighs,  high  and  broad,  with  thigh  ovals,       8 

Milk  veins  long  and  prominent 6 

Udder  full  in  front j 6 

Udder  full  and  well  up  behind  .    -  IS* 8 

Udder  large  but  not  fleshy  .  .  .  .   ) 4 

Udder  teats  squarely  placed 4 

^Udder  teats  of  good  size 4 


Quantity  and  dur- 
ation of  flow,  40 


Size    and    sub- 
stance    10" 


Svmmetrv 


*F( 


f  Size  for  the  breed 

Not  too  light  bone 

Barrel  round  and  deep  at  flank 

Hips  and  joints  wide 

Rump  long  and  broad 

Thighs  and  withers  thin 

Back  level  to  setting  on  of  tail 

Throat  clean,  with  small  dewlap 

Legs  not  too  long,  with  hocks  well  apart  in  walking 

14  -,  Tail  long  and  thin 

Horns  curved  and  not  coarse 

Head  rather  long  and  fine,  with  quiet  and  gentle  expression, 

General  appearance 

100 Perfection 

bulls  deduct  the  18  points  for  Udder  from  above. 


1 
4 
2 
2 
2 
3 
1 
2 

1 
2 
3 

_2 
100 


IMPORTED  GUERNSEY  COW,  JOLIE  2d,  2206. 

Property  of  J.  W.  l<"ri,i,Ei<,  Catasauqua,  Pa. 


GUERNSEYS AYUSIIIKES. 


93 


IMPORTED   GUERNSEY   COW,    WINDFALL,   2206. 

Property  of  j.  W.  I'Ili.kk,  C;it:is:uiq.ia,  Pa. 

Of  our  illustrations  we  may  say,  in  brief:  Imported  Select  brought  with  her  front 
the  island  a  record  of  22  lbs.  8  oz.  of  well  worked  and  salted  butter  in  seven  days,  and 
of  milk  showing  18.05  per  cent,  total  solids,  of  which  8.09  per  cent,  was  fat,  with  a 
yield  of  about  22^  quarts  a  day,  on  a  ration  of  three  quarts  of  crushed  oats  and  three 
of  wheat  bran  a  day,  and  grass.  Jolie  2nd  is  perhaps  the  best  cow  in  Mr.  Fuller's 
herd,  and  gives  when  in  full  milk,  38  quarts  per  day;  in  1884  this  cow  won  the  first 
Island  prize  over  her  famous  half  sister.  Flukes.  Windfall  is  also  a  wonderful  milker, 
and,  although  well  advanced  in  years,  may  still  be  ranked  as  one  of  the  prime  Guern- 
seys in  America. 


CHAPTER   XXI. 


A  YRSHI  RES. 


The  Ayrshire  breed  is  of  comparatively  recent  origin:  in  Cully's  work  on  Live 
Stock(1790),  it  is  not  even  mentioned.  Aiton  in  1825  mentioned  it,  but  described  an 
entirely  different  animal  from  the  present  improved  Ayrshire.  Even  as  late  as  1842 
Prof.  Low  closes  his  history  of  their  origin  as  follows: 

"We  may  assume  then,  from  all  the  evidence,  which  in  the  absence  of  authentic  documents, 
the  case  admits  of,  that  the  dairy  breed  of  Ayrshire  owes  the  characters  which  distinguish  it  from 
the  older  race,  to  a  mixture  with  the  blood  of  races  of  the  continent,  and  of  the  dairy  breed  of 
Alderney." 

Afterwards,  in  the  same  chapter,  he  gives  us  a  pretty  definite  idea  as  to  how  the 
later   improvement   was  effected   in   the   statement   that  "  some  breeders  in  Ayrshire 


^4 


AYRSHIRES. 


have  begun  to  cross  the  breed  with  the  Shorthorns."  Allen  (American  cattle)  makes 
a  shrewd  "guess"  as  to  how  the  improvement  was  brought  about;  he  says: 

"  It  could  be  from  no  other  than  the  direct  cross  of  small  compact  Shorthorn  bulls,  descended 
from  the  bes-t  milking  cows  in  the  northeastern  counties  of  England,  on  the  cows  descended  from 
the  Ilolderness  bulls  of  Lord  Marchmont,  and  their  crosses  from  the  'conjectured'  Dutch  bulls, 
brought  in  by  Mr.  Dunlop.  From  no  other  race  of  cattle,  either  Scotch,  English  or  Irish,  could  the 
improved  Ajrshires  get  their  shape,  color  and  milking  qualities  combined." 

They  are  undoubtedly  based  on  the  hardy  West  Highland  or  Kyloe  stock;  that 
the  Alderney  or  Jersey  breed  was  used  in  the  crosses,  would  appear  from  the  early 
<lescriptions  given ;  and  that  the  "  guess "  made  by  Allen  may  at  least  approximate 
the  truth,  is  evidenced  by  the  present  appearance  of  the  breed  and  the  gradual  change 
it  has  made  within  the  past  40  or  50  years. 

DESCRIPTION    OF    MODERN    AYRSHIRE: 

Color  varies  almost  as  much  as  in  Shorthorns,  and  is  indeed  very  much  the  same 
— red  and  white  predominating;  but  in  many  individuals  black  hairs  scattered  through 
the  red,  give  a  blue  and  white  color  which  we  have  never  seen  among  pure  Short- 
horns. Roans  are  quite  common,  and  roan  and  white,  or  patched  roans,  were  formerly 
very  abundant.  Later  breeders,  however,  require  colors  of  whatever  shade  to  be 
<listinct. 

The  general  outline  of  the  body  is  similar  to  that  of  all  milk  breeds — being  light 
iind  narrow  in  front  and  gradually  deepening  toward  the  hind  quarters.  The  head  is 
narrow  and  close  fleshed — in  the  bull  wider  but  still  showing  the  moi^e  delicate  con- 
tour peculiar  to  bulls  of  milking  strains — with  bright  medium  sized  eyes,  and  small 
horns,  showing  a  tendencv,  among  cattle  of  our  acquaintance,  to  assume  more  or  less 


t^^ir  H^^\r["256i 


AYRSHIRE    BULL,    SIR    HUGH,   2582. 

Property  of  II.  U.  C.  \Vatson,  West  Farms,  N.  ^■. 


AYRSHIRE; 


95 


96 


AYKSHIRES.  . 


irregular  positions ;  ears  thin  and  well  coated ;  neck  fine,  without  dewlap — in  the  bull 
naturally  arched ;  body  deepening  toward  the  flank ;  ribs,  at  first  flat,  arching  toward 
the  loin ;  loin,  hips  and  rump  full  and  even  with  the  back ;  tail  dropping  squarely ;  legs 
straight  with  rather  thin  twist,  and  brisket  close  and  firm  fleshed.  The  udder  of  the 
Ayrshire  cow  is  her  especial  peculiarity ;  it  is  large  but  so  broad  and  vertically  flat- 
tened as  to  appear  small ;  it  spreads  out  well  both  in  front  and  to  rear — divisions 
strongly  marked,  with  small  cylindrical  teats,  wide  apart  and  evenly  placed.  Her 
escutcheons  are  usually  of  a  high  order — especially  the  front  ovals  being  well  devel- 
oped, and  the  milk  veins  show  with  considerable  prominence. 

•  In  general  appearance,  the  Ayrshire  of  the  present  day  has  lost  much  of  the 
lean,  ungainl}^  outline  once  supposed  to  be  necessarily  co-existent  with  dairy  excel- 
lence, and  assumed  a  neat,  trim,  well  rounded,  though  not  beefy,  form,  which  cannot 
fail  to  increase  its  popularity. 

characteristics: 

We  regard  it  as  a  waste  of  argument  to  try  to  convince  the  public — as  man}-  have 
attempted — that  the  Ayrshires  are  general  purpose  animals;  they  are,  and  have  been, 
a  distinctive  class  of  milk  stock,  differing  from  all  known  breeds  in  the  high  per  cent, 
of  casein  or  cheesy  matter  of  the  milk.  For  butter,  the  Ayrshire  has  not  been  classed 
among  the  best,  for  the  reason  that  the  globules  are  not  equal  in  size,  causing  the 
cream  to  rise  unevenly,  and  injuring  the  grain  of  the  butter  by  reason  of  protracted 
churning;  the  use  of  the  centrifugal  in  cream  separation  practically  does  away  with 
the  first  objection,  but  the  second  has  yet  to  be  overcome  before  they  can  take  high 
rank  as  butter  producers.     In  quantitv  of  milk  they  excel  the  Jersey,  but  fall  short  of 


i^^s  oj  Sfrfitfif 


AYRSHIRE  COW. 

Property  of  H.  R.  C.  Watson,  West  Farms,  X.  Y. 


AYRSIIIRES.  97 

the  Holstein-Friesian:  the  perccnta^re  of  fat  in  the  milk  is  good,  and,  taken  in  connec- 
tion with  the  large  amount  of  casein,  renders  the  milk  from  an  Ayrshire  dairv  pre- 
eminent for  cheese. 

Their  beef  claims  must  be  accepted  with  some  latitude.  Unquestionably  they 
produce  excellent  beef  under  favorable  conditions,  but  there  is  too  great  a  tendency 
toward  milk  to  admit  of  any  very  marked  aptitude  for  fattening.  In  size  they  rank 
with  the  small  breeds — mature  bulls  weighing  from  1200  to  1500  lbs.,  and  cows  from 
900  to  1100  lbs. 

As  showing  the  average  yield  under  ordinarv  conditions,  and  with  verv  light 
feed,  we  give  the  public  record  of  the  herd  owned  by  C.  AI.  Winslow,  Brandon,  Vt.: 

Average  of  10  cows  for  year  1880,  each  6035  lbs.  milk. 
11      "  »       1881,     "     6176 

9     "  »       1882,     "     6672 

15  "  "       1883,     "     6168 

16  »  "       1884,     "     68U 
15     "  "       1885,     "     7025 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  to  be  used  in  connection  with  description  given 
was  adopted  by  the  Ayrshire  Breeders'  Association  (C.  AI.  Winslow,  Secretary), 
Feb.  4th,  1885? 

cows,  BULLS. 

10 Head 10 

5 Neck 10 

5 Fore-quarters 7 

10 Back 10 

8 Hind-quarters 10 

33 Udder 

Scrotum  and  Rudimentary  teats.  .  .  10 

3 Legs 5 

5 Skin  and  Hair 10 

3 ; Color 3 

8 Live  Weight 10 

10 General  appearance 15 

100 Perfection 100 

Referring  to  our  illustrations:  Dutchess  of  .Smithtield,  4256,  has  a  record  of 
10,748  lbs.  of  milk  in  one  year,  and  19  lbs.  6  oz.  butter  in  seven  days;  she  won  first 
prizes  at  Rhode  Island  State  Fairs  of  1879  to  1881;  at  Woonsocket,  1879;  and  second 
prize  at  New  York  State  Fair  in  1882.  Sir  Hugh,  2582,  won  first  prize  at  New 
York  State  Fair  in  1882,  and  second  for  bull  and  four  of  his  get,  at  New  York  Dairy 
and  Cattle  Show,  1887.  The  large  engraving — group  from  the  herd  of  Coldren  & 
Lee — shows  the  variety  in  color  markings  common  to  the  breed  by  a  predominance 
of  white,  and  represents  a  fair  sample  of  the  excellent  herd  from  which  it  is  taken. 


DUTCH-BELTED    CATTLE. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


DUTCH-BELTED    CATTLE. 

Natives  of  Holland,  and  of  a  pure  black  and  white  color,  they  have  been  fre- 
quently described  as  peculiarly  marked  Holstein-Friesians.  It  must  be  remembered, 
however,  that  no  matter  how  closely  these  two  Dutch  races  of  cattle  may  have  been 
related  at  first,  they  are  now  justly  recognized  as  pure  and  distinct  breeds. 

The  original  name  of  the  Dutch-Belted  cattle,  and  the  one  still  used  In  Holland 
is  "  Lakenfield  "  cattle — the  name  having  reference  to  the  peculiar  white  belt  or  sheet 
passing  completely  around  the  body.  From  the  first  volume  of  the  Dutch-Belted 
Cattle  Herd  Book,  we  quote: 

"  Their  breeding  dates  back  to  beyond  the  l7th  centiny  ;" 
And  again: 

"These  cattle  were  solely  controlled  by  the  nobility  of  Holland,  and  they  are  to  the  present 
time  keeping  them  pure,  but  are  not  inclined  to  part  with  them." 

A  fact  which  may  account  for  the  comparatively  small  number  found  at  present  in 
America. 

The  peculiar  color  markings  of  these  cattle  show  an  attainment  in  the  science  of 
breeding,  really  wonderful.  Prof.  Low  attributes  the  first  appearance  of  the  belted 
marking  to  a  cross  between  two  fixed  original  breeds  of  opposite  color,  and  this  theory 
is  doubtless  con-ect ;  but  to  found  a  breed  which  will  transmit  such  peculiar  points  with 
certainty — as  do  the  Dutch-Belted  cattle — was  a  task,  the  magnitude  of  which  is  only 
excelled  by  the  results  attained. 

Among  the  first  importers  to  America  were  D.  H.  Haight,  of  Goshen,  N.  Y. — 
who  made  the  first  importation  to  the  United  States  in  1838;  W.  R.  Coleman,  and  P. 
T.  Barnum — the  Nation's  Showman.      Mr.  Barnum  says: 

"They  struck  my  fancy  in  Holland.  I  imported  them  and  found  their  unique  and  singular 
appearance  not  their  best  recommendation,  for  they  are  excellent  milkers." 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color,  as  already  mentioned,  jet  black  with  a  broad  band  or  "  belt "  of  purest 
white  passing  completely  around  the  body.  The  milk  outline  is  beautifully  shown 
in  long  head;  fine,  rather  thin  neck — well  arched  in  the  bull,  but  still  fine  at 
head;  small  horns;  wide  chest;  straight  back;  broad,  level  hips;  deep  quarters,  and 
square  well-placed  udder.  In  size  they  are  somewhat  above  medium — mature  cows 
weighing  from  900  to  1200  lbs.;  and  bulls  from  1600  to  2000  lbs.  They  are  strong 
and  vigorous,  usually  kind  and  docile  indisposition;  and  transmit,  with  great  certain- 
ty, all  their  original  qualities. 

In  addition  to  the  above  we  give  the  following  standard  description,  combined 
with  Scale  of  Points,  which  has  been  formally  adopted  by  the  Dutch-Belted  Cattle 
Association  of  America: 


DUTCII-HEI.TED    CATTLE. 


99 


100  .DUTCII-BEI.TED    CATTLE.  r. 

COWS.  HULLS. 

8 Color 8 

(Body  color  black,  with  a  clearly  defined  continuous  white  belt.  1  he 
belt  to  be  of  medium  width,  beginning  behind  the  shoulder  and  ex- 
tending nearly  to  the  hips.) 

(\ Head 6 

(Comparatively  long  and  somewhat  dishing— broad  between  the  eyes ; 
poll  prominent;  muzzle  fine;  dark  tongue.) 

4 Eyes  and  Horns 4 

(Eves  black,  full  and  mild;  horns,  long  compared  with  their  diameter.) 

fi.  /. Neck 6 

(Fine  and  moderately  thin,  and  should  harmonize  in  symmetry  with 
the  neck  and  shoulders.) 

4 Shoulders 9 

(Fine  at  the  top,  becoming  deep  and  broad  as  they  extend  backward 
and  downward,  with  a  low  chest.) 

10 Barrel 10 

(Large  and  deep,  with  well  developed  abdomen ;  ribs  well  rounded 
and  free  from  fat.) 

10 Hips 10 

(Broad,  with  level  chine  and  full  loin.) 

6 Rump 6 

(High,  long  and  broad.) 

8 Hindquarters 8 

(Long  and  deep,  rear  line  incurving;  tail  long,  thin,  tapering  to  a  full 
switch.) 

3 Legs 3 

(Short,  clean,  standing  well  apart.) 

20 Udder 

(Large,  well  developed  front  and  rear;  teats  of  convenient  size  and 
wide  apart;  mammary  veins  large,  long  and  crooked,  entering 
large  orifices.) 

Rudimentary  teats 10 

(Size  and  wide-spread  placing.) 

2 Escutcheon 2 

8 Hair  and  Skin 3 

(Fine  and  soft;  skin  of  moderate  thickness,  of  a  rich  dark  or  yellow 
color.) 

4 Disposition 4 

(Quiet;  animal  free  from  excessive  fat.) 
6 General  condition  and  constitution  .  ,    6 

100 Perfection 100 

They  are  a  dairy  breed,  the  cows  producing  a  large  quantity  of  milk,  which  is 
above  the  average  in  butter  content.  For  beef  they  are  fair,  standing  fully  equal  to 
other  dairy  breeds  in  this  respect.  Our  illustrations  are  from  the  herd  of  Mr.  H.  B. 
Richards — the  genial  secretary  of  the  society  and  editor  of  the  "  Dutch-Belted  Cattle 
Herd  Book " — and  are  excellent  portraits  of  his  celebrated  cow,  Lady  Aldine,  and 
the  bull,  Edward  the  Great,  now  owned,  we  believe,  in  Illinois. 


DUTCH-BEI/PED    CATTLK. 


101 


|!!|||||11'pl^^ 


W!affl,'li':l'il!lil|l|| 


ii;i;;;„i!;i;iii!«iii 


102  '      AMERICAN    HOLDERNESS. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 


AMERICAN   HOLDERNESS. 

The  origin  and  history  of  this  breed  are  fraught  with  singuhir  interest  as  ilhis- 
trating  the  pecuHar  methods  used  by  breeders  in  fixing  type. 

>  Some  fifty  or  sixty  years  ago,  Mr.  Truman  A.  Cole,  of  Solsville,  N.  Y.,  pur- 
chased a  cow  of  imported  stock  called  "Holderness"— originally  from  the  West 
Riding  of  Yorkshire,  England;  she  was  red  and  white  in  color,  of  large  size,  an  ex- 
cellent milker,  and  was  at  the  time  in  calf  by  a  bull  of  the  same  breed.  Her  offspring 
proved  to  be  a  male;  when  this  calf  was  a  yearling,  he  was  bred  to  his  own  mother, 
the  result  being  a  heifer  calf,  which  was  afterwards  bred  to  the  same  bull.  To  put 
the  history  of  their  improvement  in  a  nutshell:  Mr.  Cole  has  continually  and  closely 
in-bred,  never  admitting  a  single  drop  of  outside  blood  imtil  he  has  produced  a  breed 
thoroughly  fixed  in  type,  and  accurately  transmitting  even  the  least  of  its  distinguish- 
ing qualities.  A  remarkable  change  has  taken  place  in  their  color  markings  as  seen 
from  the  following 

DESCRIPTION    OF    AMERICAN    HOLDERNESS: 

When  first  dropped,  the  sides,  neck  and  head  are  reddish  brown;  as  they  increase 
in  age  this  color  changes  to  a  dark  brown  or  jet  black,  while  the  white  lines  on  back 
and  belly  remain  unchanged  from  birth.  The  legs  correspond  in  color  with  the  sides, 
except  at  the  belly  line,  where  a  white  band  is  thrown  across,  presenting  a  novel  and 
attractive  design.  (  This  change  from  the  former  Shorthorn  colors  of  the  Yorkshire 
cattle,  can  only  be  accounted  for  by  assuming  that  the  close  incestuous  breeding  prac- 
ticed by  Mr.  Cole,  has  caused  them  to  revert  to  the  colors  of  their  original  Dutch 
ancestry.) 

In  size  they  are  nearly  equal  to  the  Holstein-Friesians;  and  in  outline  also  very 
similar.  The  head  is  neat,  close-fleshed,  long  in  the  cow  and  shorter  in  the  bull; 
horns  short  and  curving  forward ;  neck  fine  at  head — in  the  bull  arching — and  well 
set  on  at  shoulders;  back  keeping  up  an  even,  straight  line  from  the  shoulders  to  the 
drop  of  the  tail;  flanks  deep,  udder  large,  broad,  well  forward,  with  good-sized  teats, 
placed  evenly  and  wide  apart. 

They  are  emphatically  a  dairy  breed,  as  illustrated  by  the  fact  that  nineteen  cows 
of  Mr.  Cole's  herd — two  years  old  and  upwards — actually  made  5,860  lbs.  of  butter 
during  the  season  of  1879 — an  average  of  a  little  over  308  pounds  of  butter  to  each 
cow.  Mr.  Cole  states  that  he  could  easily  have  brought  up  the  average  to  350  pounds, 
if  he  had  not  raised  the  calves.  While  not  equaling  the  Holstein-Friesians  in  quantity 
of  milk,  they  are  said  to  excel  them  In  richness  of  product  for  butter.     Their  beef 


AMERICAX    HOLDERNESS. 


103 


"!iil;,;-Il1f'"' 


104 


AMERICAN    HOLDER  NESS. 


AMKIircAX    nOLDEKNESS BROWX    SWISS.  105 

qualities  are  also  good,  and  taken  all  in  all,  we  predict  for  them  a  popular  reception 
in  strict  keeping  with  their  merits.  They  are  by  no  means  generally  known;  yet 
they  have  found  a  foothold  in  nearly  all  of  the  Northern  States,  and  wherever  found 
are  rapidly  growing  in  favor. 

Our  illustrations,  better  than  any  description,  will  give  an  excellent  idea  of  their 
appearance.  Mr.  Cole's  herd  has  become  justly  celebrated;  and  by  his  skill  and  care- 
fulness, he  has  won  for  himself  a  most  enviable  reputation  as  a  patient  and  painstakino- 
breeder,  and  as  the  originator  of  the  American  Ilolderness  Breed. 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 


BROWN     SWISS. 

The  historv  of  this  breed  mav  be  gi\en  briefly  bv  stating  that  it  has  been  built 
up  step  b}'  step  from  the  common  bovine  ancestry  of  Switzerland  and  neighl)oring 
countries.  Improvement  has  been  effected  almost  solely  by  selection  and  light 
in-breeding,  and  is  most  noticeable  in  those  districts  or  "  Cantons"  of  Switzerland, 
like  Schwytz,  which  are  peopled  by  progressive,  well-to-do  farmers — men  who  have 
always  taken  a  great  pride  in  their  cattle,  and,  prompted  no  doubt  by  local  jealousies, 
have  striven,  each,  tt)  make  his  herd  the  best  and  purest  of  the  race. 

IMPOKTATIOX    TO    AMERICA: 

In  the  United  States  the  Brown  Swiss  have  been  slow  to  find  purchasers  until 
within  the  last  few  years.  The  first  importation  was  made  by  H.  M.  Clarke,  of  Bel- 
mont, Mass.,  about  1870,  since  which  time  several  importations  have  been  made,  and 
the  demand  in  the  United  States  is  now  quite  active.  The  Brown-vSwiss  Breeders' 
Association  has  been  organized,  and  Volume  I.  of  their  record  appeared  in  1881.  In 
the  Eastern  States  this  breed  has  alreadv  attained  considerable  prominence;  while  in 
the  West  and  South  it  is  little  known. 

DESCRIPTIOX    AXD    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color,  solid  chestnut  bronze,  somewhat  lighter  at  the  back  and  belly  line,  and 
showing  the  same  mealy  ring  at  the  muzzle,  so  well  known  as  characteristic  of  the 
Jerseys.  The  hoofs,  tongue,  nose  and  switch  of  the  tail  are  always  black:  while  the 
light  belly  line  extends  more  or  less  over  the  escutcheon  and  inner  surface  of  the  legs. 
In  size  they  are  above  medium,  mature  bulls  weighing  from  1700  to  2100  lbs.,  and 
cows  from  1100  to  1800  lbs.  The  head  is  large;  horns  short  and  waxy,  with  black 
tips;  ears  well  covered  inside  with  long,  light-colored  hair;  neck  short,  with  rather 
heavv  dewlap;  legs  short  and  straight,  with  wide  thighs  and  deep  quarters  and;  gen- 
eral outline  showing  the  milk  breed.  The  cows  have  excellent  escutcheons,  well 
formed  udders,  and  give  a   good   quantity   of  rich    milk.     Mr.  N.  S.  Fish  of  Groton, 


106 


BROWN    SWISS. 


BROWN  SWISS  BULL,  SOL  TEL,  20. 

Weight  at  3  years,  1630  lbs.;  property  of  Geo.  W.  Harris,  Wethersfield,  Conn. 


BROWN   SWISS  COW,  FRANCES,  26. 

Property  of  N.  S.  Fish,  Groton,  Conn. 


BROWN    SWISS. 


107 


108  BROWX    SWISS — I5RITTANY    CATTLE. 

Ct.,  .Secretary  of  the  Association,  writinj,^   under  date  of  July  10th,  1888,  says  of  this 

breed : 

"  *  *  »  *  While  they  will  not  give  as  rich  milk  for  butter  as  the  Jerseys,  they 

will  give  a  much  larger  quantity  of  fine-flavored,  rich   milk;  and  on   same  feed  give  as  much  as  the 

celebrated  Holsteins;  at  least,  such  has  been  the  experience  of  some  who  have  had  them  under  like 

circumstances." 

As  to  the   ease  with  which  they  accHmate  in   the   fever  belt,  we  have  as  yet  no 

information.     The  cattle  are  thrifty,  mature  early  and  promise  to  find  abundant  favor 

in  the  Western  States  for  the  dair}-. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  has  been   adopted  by  the  Brown  Swiss  Breeders 

Association : 

Head 2  Forward 43 

Face 2     Legs 4 

Ears 1      Tail 4 

Nose 2     Hide 3 

Eyes 1      Color 6 

Horns 5      Fore-udder 10 

Neck 4     Hind-udder 10 

Chest 4     Teats 5 

Back 6      Milk- veins 4 

Barrel 8      Escutcheon 7 

Hips 4     Disposition 4 

Thighs 4 

Forward 43  Perfection 100 

In  judging  bulls  and  heifers,  omit  the  points  for  Fore-uddcr,  Hind-udder,  and 
Teats,  as  given  above;  and  in  color  they  should  be  dark  brown. 

Our  illustrations — all  originally  from  photo's — may  be  accepted  as  accurate  repre- 
sentations of  the  breed. 


CHAPTER   XXV. 


BRITTANY    CATTLE. 

From  best  authority  obtainable,  this  breed  of  cattle  has  an  origin  much  in  com- 
mon with  that  of  the  Holstein-Friesian;  difference  in  climate,  soil  and  vegetation, 
having,  through  years  of  time,  made  the  difference  in  size  and  in  other  respects  as 
now  observed.  The  breed  is  now  said  to  be  "  native"  to  the  five  departments  of 
France,  which  formerly  made  up  the  Province  of  Bretagne,  and  in  support  of  the 
statement  as  to  origin,  it  may  be  noted,  that  a  considerable  variation  among  the  cattle, 
as  to  size  and  milking  capacity,  is  found  in  the  various  localities  of  their  native 
province. 


BRITTANY    CATTLE. 


109 


BRITTANY   BULL. 


BRITTANY   COW. 


110  BRITTANY  CATTLE KEKUV  CATTLE. 

A  few  have  been  imported  to  the  United  States  at  various  times  within  the  last 
decade,  but  they  are  by  no  means  generally  known.  Mr.  W.  B.  Montgomery,  of 
Starkville,  Miss,  (better  known  as  a  breeder  of  Jerseys)  has  a  herd  of  12  or  15  cows 
and  two  bulls.  Writing  to  the  author  under  date  August  6th,  1888,  this  gentleman 
says : 

"Thev  are  the  hardiest  of  all  the  breeds  of  which  I  have  any  knowledge,  and  on  scant  pastur- 
ago,  and  poor  soil,  will  give  better  results  in  the  butter  dairy  than  any  breed  with  which  I  am 
acquainted.  On  moderately  fertile  land,  and  with  proper  care  and  attention,  Jersey  cattle  are  greatly 
to  be  preferred;  but  the  Brittanies,  on  scant  feed  and  on  rough  mountain  lands,  will  prove  superior 
to  the  Jersey." 

DESCRIPTION    AND     CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color,  clear   black    and    white — almost   exactly  similar   to   that   of  the    Holstein- 

'Friesian the  white  showing  a  tendency  to  appear  over  shoulders  and  hips,  and  along 

the  bellv  line;  the  membrane  sun'ounding  the  tongue  is  always  white — a  mark  which 
may  be  called  a  distinguishing  characteristic  of  the  breed. 

In  size  they  are  classed  as  small — about  equal  to  the  Jersey — mature  bulls  weigh- 
ing from  1000  to  IBOO  lbs.;  cow^s  from  650  to  950  lbs.  The  head  and  neck  are  fine, 
even  delicate,  with  little  or  no  dewlap.  The  horns  small,  always  black  at  the  tips, 
and  sometimes  black  throughout,  rather  longer  than  Jersey  horns,  and  approaching 
more  nearly  those  of  the  Devon  in  curvature;  the  back  is  even,  chest  large,  and 
haunch  and  buttock  bones  wide  apart.  The  legs  are  w^ell  proportioned  to  size  of 
body,  hair  fine  and  short,  and  skin  mellow  and  of  medium  thickness. 

The  Brittany  cows  are  strictly  dairy  animals,  giving  a  good  quantity  of  rich  milk, 
and  are  claimed  to  give  a  greater  yield  on  scant  grazing  than  cows  of  any  other  breed. 
Much  allowance  must  be  made  for  extravagant  claims  of  partisan  breeders,  yet  we 
believe  the  Brittany  breed  will  find,  in  our  districts  of  less  fertility,  ample  favor  with 
those  best  qualified  to  judge. 

Our  illustrations  were  reengraved  by  permission,  from  lithographs  used  by  the 
Department  of  State  in  the  recently  issued  Volume  of  Consular  Reports  on  Cattle 
and  Dairv  Farming — and  were  original!}-  from  photographs  taken  in  France. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


KERRY     CATTLE. 

This  breed — the  onlv  one  of  any  prominence  native  to  Ireland — has  of  late  vears 
found  its  way  to  America,  and  is  attracting  considerable  attention.  In  the  volume  of 
Consular  Reports  on  Cattle  and  Dairy  Farming,  previously  mentioned,  Mr.  Gumble- 
ton  refers  to  the  "Kerry  Cattle,  which  are  very  pretty  (small  in  size  and  black)  and 
very  good  milkers."  Mr.  Richard  Good  says  the  Kerrys  "  are  attracting  more  atten- 
tion than  thev  did    formerlv,  owing   to  the   ease  with  which  thev  are  managed;"  and 


KERRY    CATTLE. 


Ill 


\  ////// 


i,,i';'''!ii' 


112  KERRY    CATTLE. 

that  "the}-  are  particularly  suited  to  mountainous  districts,  which  would  not  properly 
feed  Shorthorns."  It  may  be  here  stated  that  the  County  of  Kerry,  whence  they 
derive  the  name,  is  the  most  mountainous,  as  it  is  the  most  western,  portion  of  the 
island.  The  Kerries  form  as  nearly  an  aboriginal  breed  as  possible,  tracing  back 
to  the  wild  "Forest"  stock,  and  showing  the  stages  of  improvement  all  through  their 
history. 

Within  the  last  three  years,  several  small  importations  have  been  made  to  the 
United  States:  the  largest  of  which  we  have  any  knowledge  numbering  11  head,  was 
made  by  Mr.  Edward  Kemp,  of  the  well-known  firm  of  Lanham  &  Kemp,  New 
York  City,  in  1886. 

Mr.  Kemp  is  proprietor  of  the  "Locust  Farm,"  Rumsen  Neck,  New  Jersey^ 
where  his  Kerries,  Holstein-Friesians,  and  Hambletonians  are  now  kept. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color,  black,  but  this  is  only  a  fashionable  point  of  the  last  10  or  15  years,  so 
that  black  and  white — "  line  backs  " — and  even  reds  are  still  found.  Low,  in  1842, 
described  them  as  "  generally  black,  with  a  white  ridge  along  the  spine ;"  he  further 
says  that  a  white  streak  along  the  belly  was  common,  and  other  colors,  such  as  brown, 
red  and  spotted,  were  met  with.  Breeders  are  now  strictly  adhering  to  the  black 
coats,  and  will  in  time  eliminate  all  other  colors. 

In  size,  the  Kerry  cattle  are  small — mature  bulls  weighing  800  to  1100  lbs.,  and 
cows  from  600  to  800  lbs.  The  head  is  small,  with  long  clean  muzzle  and  thin  lips; 
eyes  expressive;  horns  fine,  short  and  white — "middle  horns" — usually  turning 
upward;  neck,  fine  at  head  and  well  set  on  to  deep  but  narrow  shoulders;  body  gradu- 
ally deepens  to  the  flank,  but  the  rump  is  narrow  and  the  thighs  light.  The  dewlap 
is  rather  scant,  and  the  brisket  small  and  close  fleshed;  legs  are  neat  and  fine,  but 
rather  long,  and  the  tail  slender  and  dropping  squarely.  The  hair  is  rather  long  and 
thick,  but  the  skin  is  mellow  with  good  handling  properties.  In  general  appearance, 
the  Kerries  are  neat,  small  sized  dairy  animals,  showing  the  typical  milk  wedge,  and 
quiet  disposition  so  essential  to  dairy  excellence. 

They  are  bred  exclusively  for  milk  and  their  partisans  claim  for  them  an  unriv- 
alled production  on  scanty  hill  or  mountain  ranges.  To  explain  their  dairy  worth  in 
more  definite  manner,  we  appropriate  from  the  weekly  edition  of  the  National  Live 
Stock  Journal  oi  Chicago — issue  of  July  24th,  1888 — the  following  clipping,  refer- 
ring to  four  Kerry  cows,  which  were  recently  entered  at  The  Royal  Counties  Show: 

"One  of  the  four  was  reserve  number  and  very  highly  commended,  and.  another  commended; 
moreover,  it  will  be  seen  by  the  following  figures  that  the  '  reserve'  Kerry  gave  more  butter  in  pro- 
portion to  quantity  of  milk  than  even  the  first  or  second  prize  cows,  though  one  of  them  was  a 
Jersey.  The  first  prize  cow,  a  Shorthorn,  gave  2  galls.  2  pints  of  milk,  yielding  1  lb.  ZYi  oz.  butter; 
the  second  prize,  a  Jersey,  gave  3  galls,  'iy^  pints  of  milk,  yielding  1  lb.  4  oz.  butter;  the  Kerry  very 
highly  commended  and  reserve,  gave  2  gallons  of  milk,  yielding  1  lb.  1>^  oz.  butter." 

Nothing  is  said  as  to  conditions  or  food  for  the  three  cows  mentioned,  but  we 
may  reasonably  infer  that  these  points  were  made  as  nearly  equal  as  possible. 

The  Kerries  are  certainly  hardy  for  more  northern  latitudes,  but  we  can  say 
nothing  as  to  their  acclimation  in  the  South.  The  "  Dexter  "  strain  of  Kerry  cattle 
has  been  quite  extensively  fostered,  and  we  mention  briefly   the   points   of   difference; 


KERRY    CATTLE SHORTHORNS    OR    DURHAMS.  113 

it  gets  the  name  from  that  of  its  founder,  who  is  supposed  to  have  changed  the  type 
by  selection.  The  head  is  coarser;  horns  thicker  and  more  nearly  straight;  the  body 
round  and  blocky  and  the  legs  short  and  thick. 


CHAPTER   XXVII. 


SHORTHORNS    OR   DURHAMS. 

The  origin  of  this  valuable  breed  has  always  been  a  subject  of  more  or  less  dis- 
pute— ardent  admirers  of  the  Shorthorn  claiming  an  almost  unbroken  line  of  pure 
descent,  and  improvement  solely  by  careful  selection,  feeding  and  management; 
others,  perhaps  partisans  of  other  breeds,  claiming  that  whatever  improvement  has 
been  made,  and  in  fact,  whatever  excellence  the  breed  might  possess,  has  been  brought 
about  by  judicious  but  stealthy  crosses  with  superior  individuals  of  other  breeds.  That 
there  was  a  time  when  the  Shorthorn  ancestry  were  only  native  cattle,  even  the  most 
earnest  advocates  of  their  purity  must  admit;  but  it  is  also  true,  that,  if  there  have 
been  any  radical  out-crosses  since  the  breed  became  definitely  known  as  such,  they 
have  been  exceedingly  stealthy  ones. 

KARI.V     HISTORY. 

Their  probable  historv  begins  with  the  cattle  of  the  mainland  of  Europe,  in  the 
provinces  bordering  on  the  Baltic  and  North  Seas.  These  cattle  possessed  many  of 
the  qualities  now  claimed  by  Shorthorns — including  color  and  size;  but  there  was  a 
general  disposition  toward  excellence  in  milking  qualities  rather  than  the  full,  rounded, 
symmetrical,  beef  outline  of  a  majority  of  modern  Shorthorns  as  bred  for  range  im- 
provement in  the  Western  States. 

Prior  to  the  Conquest  of  England  by  William  of  Normandy,  the  northern  and 
eastern  portion  was  occupied  by  Danes  and  other  warlike  races  from  the  mainland: 
these  people  did  not  confine  their  operations  to  war  and  pillage  alone;  but,  while 
holding  the  eastern  coastline  of  the  island,  established  a  considerable  trade  in  mer- 
chandise and  agricultural  products  to  and  from  the  mainland.  In  this  way,  it  is 
claimed,  were  the  Shorthorn  progenitors  introduced  into  England;  and  what  renders 
the  claim  more  probable,  is  the  fact,  that  the  first  Shorthorns  were  found  in,  and  con- 
fined to,  those  counties  or  shires  lying  along  the  northern  and  eastern  boundaries. 

IMPROVEMENT  : 

As  early  as  1740,  permanent  records  were  kept  by  the  more  careful  breeders ; 
and,  according  to  Mr.  Bates,  there  were  fine  Shorthorns  upon  the  estate  of  the  Earl  of 
Northumberland  as  early  as  the  year  1600.  Mr.  Millbank  of  Barningham,  and  Sir 
William  St.  Quintin  of  Scampston,  were  among  the  early  noted  breeders  previous  to 
1750;  but  it  was  not  until  the  Colling  Bros,  began  raising  them  for  profit,  that  the 


114 


SHORTHORNS    OR    DURHAMS. 


SHORTHORNS    OR    DURHAMS.  115 

Shorthorns  obtained  anything  like  general  notice  or  favor.  They  established  them- 
selves about  1780 — Chas.  Colling  at  Ketton  and  his  brother  Robert  at  Barmpton — 
both  places  near  Darlington  on  the  river  Tees.  While  keeping  their  herds  distinct, 
they  worked  more  or  less  togethei",  freely  interchanging  the  use  of  their  bulls.  The 
method  pursued  by  them  was  to  select  the  best  animals,  male  and  female,  that  could 
be  found  among  neighboring  and  even  quite  distant  breeders,  breed  them  together. 
Keeping  up  best  conditions  as  to  food  and  management,  and  carefully  in-breed  to  fix 
the  type.  (By  the  term  in-breeding,  which  we  have  frequently  used,  is  meant  the 
breeding  together  of  animals  more  or  less  closely  related ;  the  object  being  to  perpet- 
uate certain  characteristics,  common  to  both  parents  in  the  offspring.  While  very 
valuable  if  carefully  used,  the  principle  of  in-breeding  is  dangerous  if  carried  to 
extremes,  and  should  be  used  lightly  unless  by  the  most  skillful  breeders.)  Early  in 
their  history  (1786)  Chas.  Colling  purchased,  for  $42.00,  the  bull  Hubback;  he 
proved  a  most  excellent  stock-getter,  and  now  ranks  as  one  of  the  most  celebrated 
bulls  in  Shorthorn  history.  In  1810,  Comet — the  direct  offspring  of  Bolinbroke  and 
Phoenix,  and  a  lineal  descendant  of  Hubback — was  sold  for  $5,000.00,  showing  to 
what  extent  these  cattle  had  advanced  both  in  merit  and  popular  favor.  After  Colling 
Bros.,  in  point  of  time,  came  Thos.  and  Richard  Booth  and  Thomas  Bates.  These 
men  secured  their  stock  from  Colling,  but  while  Booth  Bros.-persisted  in  breeding  for 
beef,  and  the  full,  rounded  points  so  much  admired  for  the  butcher's  block,  Bates  was 
carefully  selecting  and  breeding  with  main  reference  to  milking  qualities:  thus  it 
happened  that  Shorthorn  improvement  was  started  in  two  parallel,  but  distinctly  dif- 
ferent lines.  From  these  two  main  lines  of  improvement,  the  tastes  of  different  indi- 
viduals have  given  rise  to  numberless  "strains"  or  "families"  all  having  the  same 
general  characteristics,  but  differing  in  color,  beef  and  milk  qualities,  or  other  par- 
ticulars. 

EARLY    IMPORTATION    INTO    THE    UNITED    STATES: 

It  is  probable  that  importations  were  made  very  soon  after  the  close  of  the  Revol- 
utionary War  with  England,  as  cattle  answering  the  description  of  Shorthorns  were 
found  in  Virginia  as  early  as  1790,  and  in  1797  some  of  these  cattle  were  taken  across 
the  line  to  Kentucky  by  a  Mr.  Patton,  soon  becoming  quite  well-known  as  the 
"Patton  Stock."  Authentic  importations  were  made  direct  from  England  by  Mr. 
Cox  in  1816;  by  Col.  Lewis  Sanders  and  Brutus  J.  Clay,  both  of  Kentucky,  in  1817; 
and  from  this  time  on  importations  on  a  small  scale  were  quite  frequent.  In  1834-5-6, 
Shorthorns  were  brought  over  in  considerable  numbers  by  a  company  made  up  for 
this  purpose  among  breeders  in  the  Scioto  Valley  in  Ohio,  and  acting  through  an 
agent  who  was  supplied  with  almost  unlimited  funds.  The  first  introduction  of  the 
celebrated  Duchess  strain  was  made  about  1840,  by  a  Mr.  Vail  of  Troy,  N.  Y.,  who 
secured  a  bull  and  a  heifer  direct  from  the  herd  of  Thos.  Bates.  Among  the  earlier 
noted  breeders  in  America,  we  may  mention  Samuel  Thorne  of  Thornedale,  N.  \  ., 
and  R.J.  Alexander  of  Kentucky — the  latter  a  Scotch  nobleman,  who  purchased  the 
Voodburn  estate  of  8,000  acres,  and  used  his  annual  income  of  $80,000.00  to  establish 
;iad  maintain  a  model  American  herd  of  Shorthorn^. 


116 


SHORTHORNS    OR    DURHAMS. 


"i! 


SHORTHORNS    OR     DURHAMS. 


ir 


•ft 


118  SHORTHORNS    OR    DURHAMS. 


DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS  : 


Widely  varying  in  color,  we  find  almost  all  markings  except  black,  brown  and 
brindled;  in  some  families  pure,  deep,  cherry  red,  in  others  snowy  white,  and  between 
these  two  extremes  are  red  and  white  in  all  grades  as  to  size  and  arrangement  of  spots 
— red-roan,  white-roan,  roan  and  white,  and  speckled  or  "turkey"  roan.  In  size  the 
Shorthorn  ranks  among  the  largest  of  known  breeds,  bulls  of  mature  age  ranging  from 
1900  to  2300  lbs.;  and  cows  from  1200  to  1600  lbs.,  with  occasional  individuals  con- 
siderably exceeding  these  figures.  The  general  form  is  square,  with  well  filled  points, 
straight  back,  keeping  the  line  even  and  well  up  at  the  rump;  quarters  deep  and  full, 
but  not  bulging;  ribs  well  sprung,  giving  a  wide  back  and  rounded  barrel ;  muzzle 
clear  orange  yellow  (in  some  families,  light  drab);  wide,  open  nostrils,  and  rather 
thin  fleshed  lips;  eyes  clear,  bright,  and  surrounded  by  rings  of  orange  colored  flesh; 
horns  clear  or  cream-flecked,  short,  and  usually  curving  inward;  ears  thin  and  delicate, 
showing^clear  orange  wax;  neck  short  and  fine  in  the  cow — in  the  bull  heavy  and 
rising  with  age;  back,  level;  loin,  full;  buttocks,  wide  apart;  tail,  small  just  above  the 
brush;  brisket,  wide  and  full;  and  legs  close,  fine  boned,  and  well  proportioned  to  size 
of  body. 

The  Shorthorns  are,  emphatically,  general  purpose  animals;  although,  perhaps, 
the  majority  of  breeders  persist  in  classing  them  with  the  purely  beef  breeds.  When 
selected  and  bred  for  milk,  they  are  exceedingly  valuable  as  dairy  stock,  but  it  must  be 
admitted  that  the  general  tendency  to  breed  and  feed  for  show  has  greatly  increased 
their  beef  capacity  at  the  expense  of  milking  qualities.  In  some  of  the  strains  or  fam- 
ilies— as  notably  the  Princess  or  Duchess  strains — the  dairy  features  have  been  care- 
fully preserved,  and  even  among  the  most  pronounced  beef  families,  an  occasional 
excellent  dairy  cow  will  be  found. 

The  American  Shorthorn  Breeders'  Association  (J.  H.  Pickrell  of  Chicago, 
Secretary,)  has  never  adopted  any  standard  Scale  of  Points  for  the  animal.  Their 
adaptability  seems  not  so  great  as  that  of  some  other  breeds;  they  find  their  most  con- 
genial home,  and  give  best  returns  for  investment,  in  latitudes  of  the  more  central 
and  Northern  United  States.  In  the  Southern  States — comprising  what  is  known 
as  the  "fever  belt" — they  have  not  proven  easy  to  acclimate,  averaging  a  high  per- 
centage of  mortality  when  brought  into  this  region.  Good  animals,  old  enough  for 
service,  and  recorded  in  the  American  Herd  Book,  can  be  obtained  at  from  $100.00 
to  $200.00  of  any  responsible  breeder. 

The  individuals  so  well  represented  by  our  illustrations,  need  no  introduction  to 
any  one  familiar  with  Shorthorns.  They  are  representative  animals  of  the  strains  to 
which  they  belong,  and  their  breeders  are  men  of  unquestioned  integrity.  Mr.  Scott 
— the  owner  of  Prince  William — in  a  recent  letter  to  the  author,  gives  a  good  natured 
thrust  at  those  southern  cattlemen  who  have  persistently  bred  inferior  cattle.  He  says 
(referring  to  the  engraving  of  Prince  William): 

"  Hope  it  will  fill  the  expectations  of  your  readers,  and  teach  the  people  of  the  Southern  States 
what  cattle  ought  to  look  like,  and  stimulate  them  to  a  belter  effort." 

We  should  be  pleased  to  have  Mr.  Scott  visit  the  Texas  State  Fair  and  inspect 
the  large  exhibit  of  Texas-bred  stock  of  Shorthorn   and   other  breeds.     He  will  find 


SHORTHORNS    OR    DURHAMS, 


119 


W''>'^ft, 


m 


y: 


120  SHORTHORNS    OR    DURHAMS — RED-POI.LED    CATTLE. 

that  Western  breeders  no  longer  have  a  monopoly  in  the  fine  stock  business,  and  that 
many  herds  in  the  South  compare  very  favorably  w^ith  the  best  to  which  he  is  accus- 
tomed— not  even  excepting  his  own  magnificent  bull,  Prince  William. 

(We  should,  perhaps,  chronicle  the  fact  that  there  is  also  a  polled  variety  of 
Durham,  which  the  dehorning  mania  is  strongly  stimulating — the  two  varieties  seem 
to  be  the  same  in  all  respects  save  horns.) 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


RED-POLLED    CATTLE. 

The  Red-Polls,  while  tracing  their  history  well  back  into  the  last  century,  have 
only  recently  attracted  any  considerable  attention.  Their  origin  is  somewhat  clouded  in 
obscurity.  Suffolk  County,  England,  had  from  very  early  times  a  breed  of  polled 
cattle,  and  it  is  more  than  probable  that  this  Suffolk  breed  had  much  to  do  with 
moulding  the  type  of,  and  dehorning,  the  Norfolk  breed,  which  was  the  first  to  attract 
attention  from  outside  parties.  From  their  general  resemblance  to  the  Devons  (ex- 
cepting horns)  we  would  look  for  a  common  ancestry  somewhere  in  the  early  history 
of  the  breeds.  Marshall,  in  his  Rural  Economy  of  Norfolk,  states  that  the  breed  of 
Norfolk,  about  1780,  was  a  "  Herefordshire  breed  in  miniature,"  and  that  the  color 
was  "  blood-red,  with  a  white  or  mottled  face."  He  further  traces  the  changes  of  the 
breed,  by  crosses  with  Suffolk  bulls,  stating  in  substance,  that  size  was  increased  and 
form  improved.  To  trace  the  origin  further,  it  would  be  necessary  to  go  back  of  the 
old  polled  Suffolk  breed,  and  bring  up  the  question  as  to  how  the  various  breeds  of 
hornless  cattle  were  established  in  their  peculiar  feature.  We  need  only  say  in  this 
connection  that  polled  animals  were  found  in  most  portions  of  the  British  Island  from 
time  immemorial.  According  to  Youatt,  there  seem  to  have  been  two  distinct  breeds 
of  aboriginal  cattle,  occupying  the  central  and  northern  portions  of  the  British  Island ; 
one  of  these  had  medium  horns,  while  the  other  had  none;  from  the  first  were  prob- 
ably produced  the  Devons,  Herefords,  Sussex  and  West  Highland  cattle;  while  as  a 
continuation  of  the  second,  we  have  now  the  Galloways,  Angus  and  Suffolk  and 
Norfolk  Reds — the  latter  now  collectively  called  Red-Polls. 

Improvement  of  the  breed  has  been  steadily  carried  forward— the  Suffolks  dehorn- 
ing, while  the  Norfolks  were  firmly  fixing  the  blood  red  color  mentioned  by  Marshall 
— and  both  breeds  coming  gradually  nearer  a  common  standard,  until  about  the  middle 
of  the  present  century,  breeders  from  both  counties  began  to  meet  in  honest  compe- 
tition, and  select  their  breeding  animals  with  reference  to  perpetuating  the  red 
color  and  the  hornless  trait.  In  1874,  Mr.  H.  F.  Euren,  of  Norwich,  succeeded  in 
establishing  the  English  Red-Polled  Herd  Book,  and  through  the  stimulus  thus 
applied,  these  cattle  have  since  been  making  rapid  strides  toward  perfection.  In  1883, 
the  American   Red-Polled  Cattle   Society  (J.  C.  Murra}-,  of  Maquoketa,  Iowa,  Sec- 


RED-POLLED    CATTLE. 


121 


122  RED-POLLED    CATTLE. 


retary,)  was  organized,  and  two  volumes  of  the  Herd  Book  have  aheady  appeared. 
The  first  importation  was  made  in  1873  by  G.  F.  Taber,  Patterson,  N.  Y.,  since  which 
time  many  have  been  brought  in,  and  more  bred,  until  we  have  in  the  United  States 
at  present  writing  some  800  or  900  head. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color,  a  deep  rich  red,  with  only  the  brush  of  the  tail  white,  occasionally  white 
on  the  udder  in  cows,  but  this,  while  not  regarded  as  an  absolute  disqualification,  is 
not  favored.  Size,  above  medium,  mature  bulls  weighing  from  1700  to  2100  lbs.,  and 
cows  from  1100  to  1400  lbs.  The  head  is  neat,  with  a  tuft  of  hair  curling  over 
the  narrow  frontal  points,  and  a  light  colored,  clear  cut  muzzle.  The  neck  is  clean 
and  fine,  with  little  dewlap;  ribs  springing— not  broadly  arched— but  filling  the 
demand  for  rounded  outline  of  barrel;  legs  clean,  fine  and  short.  In  the  cow  the 
udder  should  be  large,  but  not  meaty — when  empty  it  should  hang  in  creases  or  folds; 
milk  veins  should  be  prominent  and  knotted  or  puffed. 

It  must  be  confessed,  that  most  of  the  modern  breeders  of  Red-Polls  have  been 
too  intent  on  securing  size  and  beauty  of  contour  to  preserve,  as  carefully  as  they 
should,  the  really  valuable  dairy  qualities  of  the  breed.  If  a  change  be  not  made  in 
this  direction,  we  shall  soon  be  compelled  to  say  of  them,  as  we  might  now  say  of  the 
Shorthorns — originally  excellent  dairy  stock,  but  greatly  injured  by  the  pernicious 
custom  of  feeding  highly  for  the  show  ring. 

Red-Polls  are,  in  general  appearance,  hornless  Devons  (see  also  illustrations)  and 
they  are  bred  and  advertised  as  general  purpose  cattle.  They  are  claimed,  and  we 
think  fairly,  to  be  the  rivals  of  the  Shorthorns  for  general  use  in  the  western  United 
States.  As  to  their  adaptability  in  the  fever  belt  of  the  South,  we  cannot  speak  to  a 
certainty,  from  the  fact  of  there  having  been  so  few  importations  to  this  region.  They 
are  quiet,  good  feeders,  easy  to  handle  and  ship,  and — as  all  must  admit — attractive  in 
color  and  form.  If  the  Red-Polls  are  carefully  bred,  we  may  expect  to  see  them 
grow  rapidly  in  public  favor,  and  secure  on  their  merits  high  rank  as  a  combined  milk 
and  beef  breed. 

In  view  of  the  present  dehorning  craze — and  believing  it  too  early  to  express  a 
settled  opinion  as  to  the  utility  of  the  practice — we  may  be  pardoned  for  saying,  that 
among  the  bulls  of  the  established  polled  breeds  now  in  America,  the  advocates  of 
dehorning  will  certainly  find  more  formidable  rivals  than  have  hitherto  appeared  in 
print. 


RED-POLLED    CATTLE. 


124 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 


DEVONS. 

Lying  south  of  the  Bristol  Channel,  on  the  Map  of  England,  may  be  found  the 
county  or  shire  of  Devon;  much  of  its  physical  geography,  as  also  that  of  the  county 
adjoining  it  on  the  west,  Cornwall,  presents  characteristics  strikingly  similar  to  that  of 
Wales — indeed  the  people  of  these  lower  western  counties  were  as  safe  from  Roman 
incursions  behind  the  vast  forests  which  covered  the  alluvial  deposits  of  lower  England 
as  were  the  people  of  Wales  in  their  rugged  mountain  fastnesses.  As  a  result  of  this 
immunity  from  invasion,  the  wild  or  "White  Forest"  breed  of  cattle  described  by 
Low  increased  greatly  in  numbers,  and,  in  the  counties  named,  became  more  or  less 
subject  to  partial  domestication. 

In  Wales,  we  have  at  present,  the  North  Wales  and  Pembroke  breeds  as 
undoubted  descendants  of  these  wild  cattle;  and  in  the  shire  of  Devon,  occupying 
more  especially  its  northern  slope,  has  existed  for  generations  the  ancestry  of  the 
Devon  breed — familiarly  known  in  England  as  the  "North  Devons"  to  distinguish 
them,  from  the  cattle  occupying  the  low  lands  of  Devon  and  the  counties  to  the  east. 
That  the  breed  is  of  remarkably  pure  descent  is  attested  by  the  wonderful  impressive- 
ness  in  marking  offspring.  Surely  no  breed  of  modern  improved  cattle  has  a  better 
claim  to  be  called  aboriginal  than  this.  As  their  merits  became  known,  they  were 
gradually  distributed  to  other  and  more  northern  counties,  and  the  demand  thus  found 
to  exist  induced  a  more  systematic  effort  toward  improvement.  Within  the  present 
century  their  size  has  been  increased,  beef  capacity  improved,  and  milking  qualities 
especially  advanced.  The  Earl  of  Leicester  was  among  the  most  noted  of  early 
English  breeders,  followed  by  Lord  Somerville  and  Lord  Western,  who  were  not 
only  breeders  but  did  much,  also,  to  improve  the  quality  of  the  animals  bred. 

Their  introduction  to  America  dates  from  a  very  early  period — a  few  head  of 
what  were  undoubtedly  Devons  being  brought  over  in  the  ship  Charity  (1623)  for  a 
Mr.  Winslow  of  Massachusetts;  in  1817,  however,  probably  the  first  authentic  impor- 
tation of  pure  bred  improved  Devons  was  made  by  a  Mr.  Patterson  of  Baltimore, 
direct  from  the  herd  of  the  Earl  of  Leicester  (at  that  time  Mr.  Coke  of  Holkham). 
The  next  year  (1818)  a  few  were  imported  to  Long  Island  from  Mr.  Coke's  herd. 
Other  importations  were  made  from  time  to  time,  notably  in  1836,  by  Mr.  Vernon  of 
New  York  State,  and  in  1853  by  L.  G.  Morris  also  of  New  York.  Since  that  time, 
the  Devons  have  been  widely  distributed  throughout  the  United  States,  and  have 
taken  a  settled  place  among  the  popular  breeds  of  the  country. 

DESCRIPTION    OF    MODERN    IMPROVED    DEVON: 

Color,  a  rich,  deep  red  throughout,  except  a  central  tuft  of  long  white  hair  in  the 


125 


126  DEVONS. 

brush  of  the  tail,  and  a  white  spot  on  the  udder  in  cows,  and  about  the  purse  in 
bulls.  Upper  line  almost  perfectly  straight  irom  the  head  to  the  tail;  in  the  bull,  the 
neck  is  of  course  somewhat  arched  above  this  level.  The  head  is  neat  and  trim, 
rather  long  in  the  cow  but  short  and  masculine  in  the  bull,  and  well  pointed  to  a  bright 
flesh  colored  muzzle;  eyes. prominent,  bright,  wide  apart,  and  encircled  by  ring  of 
flesh-colored  skin;  horns  rather  long,  slender,  curving  outward,  forvyard  and^ward, 
waxy  clear  at-base,  and  tapering  to  almost  needle-like  points  of  darker  shade.  The 
ear  is  sprightly;  neck  small  at  head,  without  dewlap,  and  full  and  broad  at  the  should- 
ers; forequarters  wide  apart,  showing  good  lung  power,  and  slanting  well  back,  a 
feature  in  strict  keeping  with  their  well-known  activity.  The  barrel  is  round  and 
close-muscled;  loins  even;  hips  square;  rump  smooth;  tail  long,  slender,  and  invariably 
tipped  with  white;  flank,  low  cut;  brisket  deep,  and  legs_.siiai.t,  straight  and  ckan 
fleshed.  We  believe  the  above  to  be  a  just  and  fair  description  of  the  breed  as  now 
known  in  the  United  States,  and  to  show  the  improvement  which  has  taken  place,  we 
quote  the  following  from  Low's  Domestic  Animals  of  Great  Britain  (previously 
quoted),  published  1842: 

"Although  the  Devon  ox  presents  a  symmetry  of  parts  which  pleases  the  eye,  yet  his  form  is 
not  precisely  what  the  breeder  seeks  for  in  an  animal  destined  to  fatten  quickly  and  arrive  at  great 
weight.  His  neck  is  too  long,  his  chest  too  narrow,  his  sides  are  too  flat,  his  limbs  are  too  long  in 
roportion  to  his  body ;  or,  in  other  w  ords,  his  body  is  too  small  in  proportion  to  his  height.  The 
Devon  ox  is  a  kindly  enough  feeder,  but  he  requires  good  pasture,  and  a  somewhat  favorable  climate, 
and  could  barely  subsist  on  food  which  would  suffice  to  fatten  some  of  the  hardier  mountain  breeds 
of  nearly  his  own  size." 

The  following  scale  of  points  adopted  by  the  American  Devon  Cattle  Club  (F. 
W.  Reed  of  Zanesville,  Ohio,  Secretary),  is  now  in  general  use: 

cows,  BULLS. 

8 Head 10 

Cheek 2 

4 Neck    4 

4 Shoulder^ 6 

8 Chest 10 

8 Ribs 10 

If) Back 20 

8 Hind  Quarters 12 

20 ■ Udder 

2 Tail 2 

4 Legs 4 

8 Skin 8 

2 Size 4 

8 General  appearance 8 

100 Perfection 100 

characteristics: 

Probably  the  most  prominent  trait  of  the  Devon  is  his  sprightly  energy.  In  the 
early  days  of  the  present  century,  when  the  feitile  prairies  of   the   Great   West   held 


DEVONS.  227 

their  virgin  soil  unbroken,  the  farmers  of  New  England  found  abundant  exercise  in 
removing  the  stones,  stumps  and  saw  logs  with  which  their  land  was  covered.  For 
this  purpose  oxen  were  employed  almost  exclusively,  and  the  grades  from  those  early 
imported  Devons  were  eagerly  sought.  The  writer  has  in  mind  an  amusing  incident 
related  by  his  father  concerning  a  yoke  of  grade  Devon  steers,  which,  for  two  good 
miles,  in  response  to  the  fun-loving  spirit  of  their  youthful  driver,  succeeded  in  keep- 
ing behind  them  a  span  of  fine  carriage  horses  belonging  to  a  neighbor,  and  driven  by 
the  neighbor's  son. 

As  work  oxen,  the  Devons  have  no  superior  in  the  world;  they  lack,  perhaps,  the 
weight  necessary  to  move  enormous  loads,  but  their  remarkable  quickness,  combined 
with  an  intelligent  observance  of  the  driver's  will,  make  them  invaluable  for  work  of 
certain  kinds.  For  beef,  little  recommendation  is  needed;  the  improvement  of  the 
breed  has,  with  many  breeders,  been  almost  entirely  in  this  direction.  Allen,  in  his 
valuable  treatise' on  American  Cattle  (previously  quoted),  after  speaking  of  the  excel- 
lent milk  qualities  of  the  cows  in  a  herd  of  Devons  owned  by  him,  says: 

"  It  is  but  fair  to  say,  however,  that  after  we  commenced  crossing  our  cows  with  bulls  of  later 
importation,  some  15  years  after  the  commencement  of  the  herd,  the  large  milkers  were  not  so 
numerous,  although  the  cattle  from  these  crosses  were  somewhat  finer.  The  bulls  we  used  were 
apparently  bred  from  stocks  highly  improved  with  an  effort  more  to  develop  their  feeding  properties 
than  for  the  dairy." 

We  are  glad  to  note  that  not  all  of  our  Devon  breeders  have  followed  these  points 
so  closely  as  to  lose  sight  of  the  capabilities  of  the  breed  for  dairy  purjDoses;  and,  in 
this  connection,  quote  the  following  from  the  report  of  Wm.  Brown,  Professor  of 
Agriculture  in  the  Ontario  (Canada)  Agricultural  College,  for  1880: 

"Of  this  distinctly  intermediate  class  of  cattle  (Devons),  milk  and  beef  combination,  we  have 


DEVON   COW,   DAMSEL,  3749. 

Property  of   Ed\vai<i>  I).  Hicks,   Niishvillc.  'rem 


128  DEVON'S LONGHORNS. 

to  repeat  the  observation  that  none  can  make  better  calves,  few  so  content  and  hardy,  and  but  one 
richer  in  dairy  product.  The  Devon  has  not  held  the  world's  patronage  because  of  undersize,  and 
possibly  also,  of  moderation  in  maturing  and  milk  quantity,  but  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  of  a  more 
desirable  cow  on  upland  rangy  pastures  for  the  butter  factory." 

The  Devons  are  probably  as  nearly  general  purpose  animals  as  may  be  found 
among  the  present  known  breeds:  in  size  they  are  medium — bulls  when  matured 
weighing  from  1200  to  1600  lbs.,  and  cows  from  900  to  1100  lbs.  One  thing  more 
-we  must  notice— their  introduction  into  the  Southern  States.  In  Mr.  Allen's  work,  the 
author  intimates  that  the  Devon  acclimates  unusually  well  in  the  South.  We  cannot 
agree  with  him;  information  from  various  portions  of  the  South,  has  shown  a  high 
proportion  of  mortality  among  Devons  brought  from  the  North,  only  one  breed- 
Shorthorns — showing  a  greater  average  percent,  of  loss.  To  counterbalance  this, 
however,  it  is  a  well-known  fact  that  the  Devons  when  acclimated  w^ill  thrive  and 
keep  in  good  condition  on  scant  pasture  where  many  other  improved  breeds  would 
starve  to  death.  This  high  percent,  of  mortality  in  acclimating  Devons,  may  be  due 
to  the  unnatural  forcing  which  the  breed  has  undergone  of  late  years  in  the  hands  of 
unskillful  breeders,  as  it  is  well-known  among  successful  importers  of  northern  cattle, 
that  the  introduction  of  overfed  or  pampered  stock  from  the  North  is  apt  to  result 
fatally  to  both  profits  and  cattle. 

There  are  now  a  goodly  number  of  fine  herds  of  Devons  in  the  South,  r.nd  their 
certain  increase,  both  in  numbers  and  favor,  is  fast  becoming  an  accomplished  fact. 


CHAPTER   XXX. 


LONGHORNS. 

These  cattle,  so  little  known  at  present  in  the  United  States,  have  their  origin  in 
the  district  of  Craven,  England;  probably  the  Irish  Longhorns,  mentioned  by  Youatt, 
were  identical  with  the  English  breed,  and  for  many  years  were  bred  in  parallel  lines. 

When  Bakewell  (see  also  Leicester  sheep)  took  hold  of  the  breed,  he  found  it 
already  somewhat  improved,  but  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  a  large  proportion  of 
whatever  merit  or  popularity  the  English  Longhorns  once  possessed  was  due  to  his 
wonderful  skill  as  a  breeder.  His  methods  were  kept  secret,  and  his  ability  considered 
extraordinary;  but,  to  state  the  case  plainly,  we  have  no  doubt  that  many  of  our 
modern  improvers  and  breeders  possess  just  as  much  ability,  and  are  producing  just 
as  great  results. 

Concerning  their  importation  to  America,  we  can  say  little.  A  few  head  were 
imported  into  Kentucky  as  early  as  1817,  but  they  were  crossed  with  the  Shorthorns 
and  soon  lost  sight  of.  We  know  of  but  one  other  importation,  although  several 
are  said  to  have  been  made  at  different  times.  In  1872  or  8,  the  writer  attended 
the  Iowa  State  Fair,  then  held  at  Cedar  Rapids,  in  Linn  County;  there  was  exhibited 
a  herd  of  some  four  or  five  cows  and  a  bull  of  the  genuine  English  Longhorns;  they 


LONGHORNS. 


129 


^^ 


A     O 

■^   z 

iS 


r,      0) 


130  LONGHORNS NOKMANDIE    CATTLE. 

were  marked  somewhat  similar  to  the  modern  Hereford,  with  white  faces  and  hned 
backs  and  belHes;  their  sides,  however,  were  of  a  dun  or  light  red,  almost  a  yellow, 
and  on  one  or  two  individuals  patches  of  brindle  and  roan  were  visible.  We  do  not 
remember  the  name  of  the  exhibitor,  nor  have  we  since  been  able  to  locate  the  herd. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

We  describe  as  we  remember  them,  and  find  that  our  observations  agree  with  the 
description  given  by  Allen  (American  Cattle).  Size  equal  to  Shorthorn  or  Here- 
ford; color  dun  or  yellowish  fawn,  sometimes  red,  brindled  or  roan,  with  frequently 
white  faces  and  white  lines  on  back  and  belly.  Their  distinguishing  feature  lies  in  the 
peculiar  horns,  which  are  long,  ungraceful,  curving  forward  and  downward,  some- 
times crossing  under  the  jaws,  and  frequently  requiring  amputation  to  prevent  a 
threatened  puncture  of  the  muzzle. 

They  were  claimed  to  be  general  purpose  animals,  but  with  especial  tendency 
to  milk,  and  were  exhibited  as  would-be  rivals  of  the  Shorthorns — at  that  time  in 
the  height  of  popular  favor.  Their  general  appearance  was  very  like  the  description 
given  of  the  earlier  unimproved  Herefords,  and  this  with  the  similarity  in  their  mark- 
ings, would  lead  us  to  suppose,  that  they  may  have  originally  sprung  from  the  same 
channel. 

Our  illustration  was  re-engraved  by  permission  expressly  for  this  purpose,  from 
a  lithograph  made  for  the  Department  of  State,  and  was  originally  from  a  photograph. 


CHAPTER   XXXI. 


NORMANDIE     CATTLE. 

From  the  report  of  United  States  Consul  Willianis,  of  Rouen,  we  clip  the 
following : 

"The  origin  of  the  Norman  breed  seems  unknown;  in  fact,  has  never  been  traced.  It  is  con- 
sidered that  the  nature  of  the  soil  has  produced  the  breed.  It  seems  to  have  changed  very  little  in 
the  last  century  and  is  very  remarkable.  The  center  of  production  of  this  fine  breed  is  comprised  in 
the  departments  of  Eure,  Manche,  Calvados  and  Orne." 

The  above,  while  not  very  definite  information,  is  the  best  we  have  been  able 
to  obtain  regarding  the  origin  of  Normandie  cattle.  As  the  breed  grows  in  favor, 
doubtless  some  one  will  be  encouraged  to  more  extended — and,  we  trust,  more  suc- 
cessful— search  for  their  early  historv. 

Improvement  has  been  slow  but  constant,  and  has  been  brought  about  by  care 
in  selection  and  management.  Attempts  to  improve  the  breed  have  been  made  by 
crossing  with  Shorthorn  or  Durham  blood,  resulting — as  might  be  expected — in  a 
more  rounded  contour,  but  decreasing  at  the  same  time  the  milking  value  and  fixed- 
ness of  type:  in  fact,  producing  that  most  unreliable  of  all   animals  for  breeding  pur- 


NORMANDIE    CATTLE. 


131 


132 


NORMAXDIE    CATTLE. 


I      ?    I 


XORMANDIE  CATTLE — ^XORTH  WALES  BLACK  CATTLE.  133 

poses — a  cross.  For  beef  the  Normandie  is  undoubtedly  improved  by  the  use  of 
bulls  of  any  of  our  best  beef  breeds;  but  when  we  say  this,  we  have  neither  added 
to  the  claims  of  one,  nor  detracted  from  the  merits  of  the  other. 

Importations  to  the  United  States  have  been  few,  and  only  during  recent  years. 
The  first  of  which  we  have  any  knowledge  was  made  in  1885,  by  Mr.  J.  C.  Duncan 
of  Normal,  111.  Regarding  this  importation,  Mr.  Levi  Dillon  writes  under  date 
August  29th,  1887 : 

"*  *  *  *  He  [Mr.  Duncan]  imported  from  France  two  years  ago,  one  Normandie 
bull  and  one  Normandie  cow;  they  are  registered,  both  recorded  in  France.  The v  are  brindle  in 
color,  and  are  noted  for  their  great  milking  qualities  as  well  as  for  their  beef  qualities.  Thev  are 
said  to  be  the  equal  of  the  Jerseys  as  milkers,  and  ihe  equal  of  the  Shorthorns  as  beef  cattle.  I  am 
not  a  cattle  man,  but  our  leading  cattle  men  here  speak  highly  of  these  cattle.  *  *  *  * 
Combining,  as  they  do,  the  good  qualities  of  the  Jersey  and  the  Shorthorn,  I  believe  they  are  the 
coming  cattle  of  this  country." 

Another  small  importation  was  made  to  New  York  Citv  in  iSSt),  and  one  to 
Chicopee,  Mass.,  in  1887.  Probably  others  have  been  made  of  which  we  are  not 
aware. 

DESCRIPTION'    AND     CII.VR  ACTERISTICS  : 

Color,  brown,  roan  and  red  or  spotted — varying  considcrabh-  as  to  marking,  but 
never  failing  to  preserve  the  brown  stripes  peculiar  to  the  breed,  \\  hich  ha\  e  earned 
for  them  the  term  "brindled."  The  head  is  long  and  coarse,  with  large  mouth—  fit 
emblem  of  an  enormous  appetite.  The  horn  is  irregular,  commonlv  twisted  and 
curved  toward  the  forehead;  the  body  long,  and  deep  at  the  flank,  with  rather  narrow 
hind  parts,  showing  an  escutcheon  well  marked  for  milk.  The  legs  are  short  and  the 
skin  rather  thick  and  heavy. 

The  Normandie  cow  is  classed  as  a  combined  milk  ami  beef  animal,  with  ten- 
dency more  towards  milking  excellence,  especially  in  the  Cotentine  strain  of  Nor- 
mandies.  In  size  they  rank  with  the  large  breeds,  mature  bulls  weighing  from  1800 
to  2200  lbs.,  cows  from  1100  to  1500  lbs.  The  illustrations  were  re-engraved  bv 
permission  from  lithographs  made  for  the  Department  of  State,  and  were  originallv 
from  photographs  taken  in  France. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


NORTH  WALES  BLACK  CATTLE. 
(anglesea.  ) 
As  a  separate  and  distinct  breed,  this  race  of  cattle  has  received  attention  only  of 
late  years.  Descended  from  the  same  original  stock  (the  wild  Forest  breed  of  Wales 
and  West  England)  as  are  the  Pembrokes  or  Castle  Martins  of  South  Wales,  and 
partaking  largely  of  the  same  general  appearance,  they  yet  show  deciiledly  different 
characteristics,  which,  by  right,  stamp  them  as  a  separate  breed. 


134 


NORTH    WALES    BLACK    CATTLE. 


O  -2 

i  I 

>■  >. 

-J  - 

5  1 

«  I 


3    > 
-I     5 

to  I 


NORTH    WALES    BLACK    CATTLE. 


185 


n  o 

o     CO 


136  NORTH    WALES    BLACK    CATTLE. 

Of  the  gentlemen  in  Wales  who  have  heen  so  actively  advancing  the  interests  of 
Anglesea  cattle,  we  can  make  only  hrief  mention — they  well  deserve  more  extended 
notice.  Col.  Henry  Piatt,  of  Gorddinogg,  Bangor;  Lord  Harlech  of  Glyn  Hall, 
Talsarnau;  R.  B.  Smith,  Esq.,  of  Tynewydd,  Bangor,  and  the  Editor  and  Honor- 
ary Secretary  (now  deceased)  of  the  Association,  Wm.  A.  Dew,  have  been  among 
the  most  active  workers. 

Only  one  importation  of  which  we  are  aware,  has  been  made  to  America.  In 
1885,  Mr.  J.  B.  Warren,  of  Larchwood,  la.,  imported  18  head  for  the  Larchwood 
Estate.     Answering  our  inquiries,  under  date  Sept.  12th,  1887,  this  gentleman  says: 

"  We  have  had  our  herd  for  the  last  18  months,  and  are  prepared  to  say,  that  they  are  a  very 
large  breed,  quite  as  large  as  the  Shorthorns,  and  much  hardier.  They  are  excellent  milkers,  are 
very  docile  and  thrifty.  Last  winter  most  of  our  cows  ran  out  until  the  middle  of  January,  and  were 
at  that  time  in  much  better  condition  than  the  natives." 

DESCRIPTION    AND     CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color,  black,  with,  occasionally,  white  about  the  udder  in  cows  and  the  scrotum 
in  bulls:  all  other  spots  of  white  while  not  necessarily  a  mark  of  impurity,  are  dis- 
couraged, and  will  soon  no  doubt  be  known  only  as  an  occasicMial  reversion.  The 
hair  is  long,  fine  and  wa\v;  head  rather  large;  neck  medium;  quarters  full,  and 
general  outline  approaching  very  nearly  that  of  the  Devons.  In  size  they  are  classed 
with  the  larger  breeds,  mature  bulls  weighing  from  1800  to  2200  lbs.,  and  cows  from 
1100  to  1500  lbs.  The  Earl  of  Cawdor,  whose  answer  is  published  in  a  report  to  the 
Department  of  State,  goes  still  higher  and  places  the  "  live  weight  of  the  bulls  24 
cwt.;  oxen,  22  cwt. ;  cows,  18  cwt."  The  horns  of  the  North  Wales  cattle  are 
middle  sized,  long,  and  yellowish  with  darker  tips;  the  legs. are  short,  and  w^aste  por- 
tions of  the  body  generally  are  reduced  to  a  low  percentage.  Their  dairy  qualities 
on  an  a^•erage  are  counted  good — an  ordinar}'  herd  yielding  annually  from  125  to  150 
pounds  of  butter  to  the  cow;  and  occasional  herds  are  found  which  considerably 
exceed  these  figures. 

The  partisans  of  the  breed  claim  for  them  a  I'ank  equal  to  the  highest  as  a  com- 
bined milk  and  beef  breed;  we  are  willing  to  file  the  claim,  and  shall  give  them 
ample  time  to  prove  it.  The  establishment  of  the  North  Wales  Black  Cattle  Herd 
15ook — the  first  volume  of  which  appeared  in  1888,  and  the  second  volume  in  1886 — 
will  doubtless  do  much  toward  improving  and  keeping  pure  this  really  valuable  breed 
of  stock. 


CHAPTER 


PEMBROKE    CATTLE. 

("CASTLE    MARTINS,"    OR    BLACK    CATTLE    OF    SOUTH    WALES.) 

Although  there  are  no  Pembrokes  in  the  United  States  at  present  writing,  we 
have  thought  best  to  insert  the  chapter  on  account  of  the  close  relationship  between 
this  breed  and  the  Black  Cattle  of  North  Wales — discussed  in  the  preceding  chapter. 


*n#w- 


PEMBROKE    CATTLE — IIEREKOKDS.  ];^7, 

Until  within  a  score  of  years,  the  Pembroke  breed  has  inchided  all  of  the  black 
mountain  cattle  of  Wales.  From  the  report  of  the  Hon.  Stephen  U.  Packard,  I'nited 
States  Consul  at  Liverpool,  we  quote: 

"There  are  two  breeds  of  cattle  in  Wales.  The  North  Wales  breed  [see  North  Wales  Black 
Cattle]  is  found  in  greatest  perfection  in  Anglesea  and  Caernarvonshire.  The  South  Wa'.es  breed  was 
called  "Castle  Martin,"  and  the  animals  are  very  big,  large  boned  and  coarse,  but  they  are  not  in 
favor  in  the  north  of  the  Principality.  *  *  *  *  ^q^i^  breeds  are  black,  producing 

occasionally  specimens  dun  colored  and  red.  Characteristic  points  require  that  bulls  should  have 
white  testicles  and  the  cows  white  udders.'' 

Regarding  their  origin  it  is  only  necessary  to  say,  that  they  are  supposed  to  be 
directly  descended  from  the  Bos  primigenius^  and  are  hence  allied  to  the  wild  '•  For- 
est" breed — still  preserved  in  Chillingham  Park,  the  Devons,  and  still  more  closclv 
to  their  new  rivals,  the  Jilack  Cattle  of  North  Wales. 

DICSCKIl'TION     AM)    C  1 1  A  K  Af'l' i;  K  ISIICS  : 

Coloi-,  lilack,  w  ith  the  white  marks  already  mentioned.  .Vs  compared  w  ilh  the 
North  Wales  breed,  they  have  shorter  hair,  lighter  hind  parts,  narrower  shoulders, 
and  coarser  bones.  The  best  specimens  of  each  breed  woidd  bear  a  reall\-  close  inspec- 
tion to  decide  between  them  on  merit  alone;  but  it  is  now  full\-  admitted  that  a  much 
larger  number  of  the  North  \Vales  cattle  answer  the  recjuirements  of  an  improxed 
modern  breed. 

The  particular  characteristics  claimed  for  the  Pembrokes,  are  hardiness,  dair\- 
qualities  and  aptitude  to  range  wxll.  They  camiot  be  said  to  bear  forced  feeding,  but 
for  rough  grazing  they  would  doubtless  find  much  favor  upon  our  western  ranges. 
As  to  their  dairy  cjualities  we  confess  to  some  degree  of  scej^ticu>m ;  it  does  not  seem 
reasonable  that  a  breed  reared  under  the  rough  "no  care"  conditions — which  their 
breeders  are  careful  to  claim — can  have  any  very  great  tendency  to  large  yields  of 
milk.  Their  flesh  is  said  to  be  as  good  as  anv,  and  the  oxen  are  docile,  ea>ilv  trained, 
and  make  strong  active  teams. 

The  first  volume  of  the  Herd  Jiook  appeared  in  1874,  and  since  that  time  improx  e- 
ment  of  the  breed  has  taken  a  more  decided  and  systematic  turn. 


CHAPTER   XXXIV. 


HEREFORDS. 

There  is  much  to  be  said  of  the  Hereford  cattle,  as  they  existed  in  Herefordshire, 
and  adjoining  counties,  England;  and  also  of  the  cattle  of  Wales.  Previous  to  the 
time  of  Tomkins,  the  cattle  of  these  districts  had  a  reputation  for  the  best  of  quality, 
and  were  of  uniform  character — varying  in  size  according  to  elevation  and  fertility  of 
the  range.  It  was  fiom  cattle  of  this  uniform  character  that  the  Hereford  breed  had 
its  origin. 


138  HEREFORDS. 

The  more  reliable  records  place  Mr.  Benj.  Tomkins  as  the  improver,  if  not  the 
founder,  of  the  breed.  Mr.  Tomkins  was  born  in  1745,  at  the  Court  House  Canon 
Pyon,  and  began  farming  at  Black  Hall,  King's  Pyon,  1766— then  in  his  21st  year; 
he  afterward  lived  at  Wellington  and  then  at  Brookhaven,  King's  Pyon,  where  he 
died  in  1815.  His  herd  was  sold  in  1819,  and  brought  (for  breeding  stock)  as 
follows : 

15  cows $11,245.00- 

3  2-year  old  heifers 1 ,41 5 .  00 

2  1.year  "  ....         780.00 

4  bulls 5,355.00 

2  bull  calves 1,810.00 


an  average  of ...  . 

....$    750.00 

....       400.00 

....       390.00 

....    1335.00 

905.00 

$    792 . 00 

Total,  26  animals $20,005.00 

Mr.  Tomkins  came  from  a  line  of  ancestors  who  were  prominent  men  of  the 
county  of  Hereford  as  cattle  breeders,  and  many  of  them  prominent  men  of  the  nation. 
He  pursued  a  steadily  systematic  course  in  his  breeding,  and  stands,  undoubtedly,  as 
regards  the  history  of  the  improvement  of  Hereford  cattle  in  the  west  of  England, 
as  do  the  Colling  Bros,  in  improvement  of  Shorthorn  or  Durham  cattle  in  the  east. 
Other  noted  breeders  may  be  mentioned,  among  them  such  men  as  Yarmouth,  Walker, 
Hoskyns,  Penn,  Jellicoe,  Smith,  Lord  Talbot,  Price,  Sherif  and  others;  but  the  blood 
of  Tomkins'  cattle  was  always  found  strongly  diffused  throughout  their  herds — as  may 
be  seen  by  consulting  the  Herd  Book  records. 

To  show  the  recognized  value  of  the  Hereford  breed  for  beef  at  that  early  day, 
we  give  the  following  prices  of  cattle  sold  by  Mr.  Westcar,  and  obtained  from  his 
books  by  Mr.  Smythies  of  Marlow.  The  figures  represent  20  Hereford  oxen,  selected 
from  the  entire  record  as  each  bringing  a  figure  upwards  of  .£100.  Sales  of  20  oxen 
from  1799  to  1811 — the  average  price  of  which  was  .£100  6s.  or  $530.00  each: 

1779  Dec.  16th 2  oxen $200.00 

1800  Dec.     4th 1     ''     147.00 

1800  Dec.  13th 1     '      100.00 

1801  Nov.  20th 0     "     030.00 

1802  Nov.  2()th 1     "     100.00 

1802  Nov.  30th I     ''     120.00 

1802  Dec.     4th 2     "     200.00 

1803  Dec.     4ih 1     »     .- .    100.00 

1803  Dec.  19th 1     "     105.00 

1803  Dec.  29th 1  "     105.00 

1804  Dec.     5rh 1  "     105.00 

1805  Dec.     4ih 1  "     100.00 

1811  Nov.  28th 1  "     105.00 

The  Smithfield  Club  at  London,  Eng.,  held  its  first  cattle  show  in  1799.  The 
winner  of  the  first  prize  was  a  Hereford  ox,  shown  by  Mr.  Westcar,  bred  by  Mr. 
Tully,  Huntington  Court,  Hereford,  and  for  the  first  twenty  years  of  this  show 
Herefords  won  the  first  or  champion  prize  for  the  best  ox  or  steer  exhibited.     During 


HEREFORDS. 


139 


140  HEREP-ORDS. 

the  years  from  about  1820  to  1884,  there  was  a  very  warm  contest  carried  on  between 
the  respective  breeders  of  Herefords  and  Shorthorns  as  to  the  merits  of  the  two  breeds 
— a  condition  of  things  which  has  been  kept  up  with  more  or  less  warmth  ever  since. 
(We  cannot  see  why  there  should  be  such  violent  temper  displayed  by  the  respective 
champions  of  these  two  popular  breeds.  Each  has  a  certain  definite  place  in  our 
midst,  and  it  is  no  secret  that  any  successful  breeder  is  quite  likely  to  regard  his  own 
success  as  a  reflection  of  superior  merit  in  the  breed  he  handles.  "  Live  and  let  live  " 
is  a  pretty  good  motto,  which  both  breeders  of  Herefords  and  Shorthorns  would  do 
well  to  heed.) 

Mr.  Geo.  T.  Turner,  writing  to  the  National  Live  Stock  Joui-nal  of  Chicago,  in 
1880, says: 

"The  Hereford  bullock  in  London  is  quite  a  season  animal,  and  comes  only  as  a  grass  beast  in 
the  late  summer  and  autumn,  when  it  tops  the  market," 

And,  we  might  add,  the  Hereford  steer  has  held  his  own  in  this  respect  for  more  than 
100  years. 

The  Hereford  Herd  Book  was  first  published  in  1846  by  Mr.  T.  C.  Eyton— the 
second  volume  appearing  in  1853.  At  this  time,  the  markings  of  the  breed  were  not 
as  uniform  as  now,  and  Mr.  Eyton  classed  them  accoi'ding  to  color  as  Mottle  Faced, 
White  Faced,  Gray  and  Light  Gray.  In  his  preface  to  the  second  volume,  Mr.  Eyton 
says,  that  many  breeders  neglected  to  forward  any  account  of  their  stock  or  pedigrees 
of  their  bulls,  and  that  it  is  not  his  intention  "  to  continue  the  work  unless  the  breeders 
generally  come  forward  to  assist  me  more  than  they  have  done  to  the  present  time.  I 
would  willingly  give  my  own  time  and  trouble  if  I  thought  all  would  join  in  working 
out  the  truth,  and  afford  the  work  sufficient  patronage  to  cover  its  expenses."  While 
some  few  of  the  breeders  were  willing  to  aid  in  the  support  of  the  work,  the  interest 
was  not  general  enough  to  induce  Mr.  Eyton  to  continue  his  labors.  In  1856,  Mr.  W. 
Styles  Powell  purchased  the  copyright,  and  published  the  first  part  of  Volume  III, 
containing  236  pedigrees.  July  15th,  1857,  a  letter  to  the  Herefordshire  Agricultural 
Society  was  read,  from  Mr.  Underwood,  solicitor  to  Rev.  W.  Powell — uncle  to  W.  S. 
Powell — stating  that  the  cost  of  the  Herd  Book  to  his  late  nephew  was  .£30;  yet  he 
was  willing  to  place  the  work  as  it  then  stood  in  the  hands  of  any  gentleman  recom- 
mended by  the  society  on  payment  of  JCIO.  Mr.  Powell's  offer  was  accepted,  and 
Mr.  Thos.  Duckham  was  requested  to  carry  on  the  publication  of  the  Herd  Book. 
The  conditions  were  that  he  should  publish  it  annually,  and  that  an  entrance  fee  of 
one  shilling  (25  cts.)  should  be  paid  for  each  head  of  stock  entered.  Mr.  Duckham 
proceeded  to  revise  and  reprint  the  portion  of  Volume  III,  adding  a  second  part  for 
bulls  and  a  third  part  for  cows  with  their  produce;  and  in  September,  1858,  the 
revised  volume  was  issued.  In  1859  Volume  IV  appeared,  with  a  list  of  247  sub- 
scribers; and  Volume  V  followed  in  1862  with  a  list  of  317.  Mr.  Duckham  continued 
the  work  on  his  own  responsibility  until  Volume  IX  was  issued,  when — March  5th, 
1878 — the  Hereford  Herd  Book  Society  was  formed  and  the  Society  purchased  the 
copyright,  becoming  responsible  for  its  publication  through  an  editing  committee,  of 
which  Mr.  Duckham  was  an  active  and  influential  member  until  his  resignation  which 
occurred  about  two  years  ago.  Volume  XVII  of  the  Herd  Book  was  issued  last 
year  (1887). 


HEREFORDS. 


141 


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142  HEREFORDS. 

While  Mr.  Duckham  was  editor  and  publisher,  he  gave  a  large  portion  of  his 
time  to  advancement  of  Hereford  interests;  and  the  breeders  of  England  and  America 
ovv^e  much  to  him  for  the  records  and  data  that  have  been  preserved  to  the  breed. 

In  Scotland,  Ireland,  Australia,  South  America,  and  the  Island  of  Jamaica,  Here- 
ford cattle  are  now  well-known,  and  rank  second  to  none  in  public  favor  for  eai'ly 
and  economic  production  of  beef. 

IMPORTATION    TO,    AND    BREEDING    IN,    THE    UNITED    STATES: 

The  Hon.  Henry  Clay  brought  two  bulls  and  two  heifers  to  this  country'  in  1817; 
one  bull  and  the  two  heifers  reached  Kentucky  and  contributed  to  the  improvement  of 
beef  cattle  in  that  state.  In  1824  Admiral  Coffin  brought  to  Massachusetts  the  Here- 
ford bull  Sir  Isaac.  The  bull  was  owned  for  several  years  by  Isaac  C.  Bates  of 
Northampton,  Mass.,  and  was  used  on  the  cows  in  that  vicinity  with  the  uniform  tes- 
timony that  for  all  purposes  combined,  his  produce  formed  the  best  stock  ever  kept  in 
that  neighborhood.  In  1839-40  a  large  number  of  Hereford  cattle  were  imported  by 
Mr.  William  Sotham  of  Albany,  N.  Y.  They  met  with  a  good  deal  of  favor,  and 
were  soon  well  distributed  throughout  the  northeast  portion  of  the  United  States.  In 
1851  Messrs.  John  Humphries  and  Thos.  Ashton  brought  to  Ohio  two  bulls  and  two 
heifers;  and  since  1879  there  have  been  many  impoi-tations,  and  some  very  large  ones. 
They  have  gone  into  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  have  uniformly  become  very  popu- 
lar with  all  who  have  handled  them. 

C.  R.  Thomas  of  Independence,  Mo.,  is  the  present  Secretary  of  the  American 
Hereford  Breeders'  Association. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

In  color  the  Hereford  is  a  red  of  varying  shade,  generally  dark  with  clear  white 
face,  white  line — extending  from  head  to  tail  in  some  specimens,  in  others  abbreviated 
to  merely  a  white  mane,  or  what  is  even  more  fashionable  at  present,  an  oblong  spot 
above  and  between  the  shoulders — white  belly,  white  brush  and  white  feet.  The 
horns  are  medium  to  long,  white,  waxy  and  generally  turning  outward,  forward  and 
sometimes  downward.  In  form  they  are  blocky,  square  built,  with  rather  short  legs 
and  all  meat  points  full  and  rounded;  the  tail  drops  squarely  from  rumps  even  and 
high;  the  quarters  are  heavy,  muscular  and  low  down  on  the  hocks;  the  ribs  well 
sprung,  but  rounded  neatly  to  a  long,  deep  barrel;  the  head  and  neck  both  short  and 
close  fleshed;  in  fact  the  whole  make-up  of  the  animal  indicates  strongly  the  marked 
characteristic  of  the  breed — beef. 

The  Hereford  is  emphatically  a  beef  or  range  animal,  and  while  good  milkers 
are  occasionally  met  with  among  the  cows,  most  of  them  do  little  more  than  raise 
wonderfully  vigorous  calves.  The  "white  faces"  have  found  considerable  favor  on 
the  great  cattle  ranges  of  the  Panhandle  of  Texas.  In  acclimating,  they  are  well 
located  as  standing  even  with  the  Aberdeen-Angus, — about  third  on  the  list, — 
Holstein-Friesians  and  Galloways  ranking  first  and  second  respectively.  They  are 
hardy,  prepotent  to  a  strong  degree,  and  are  classed  with  the  largest  of  modern  breeds* 
mature  bulls  weighing  from  1900  to  2300  lbs.,  and  cows  from  1200  to  1600  lbs.,  with 
occasional  animals  exceeding  these  weights. 


IIEHEFOKDS. 


143 


144  HEREFORDS— GALLOWAYS. 

Our  illustrations  faithfully  represent  animals  that  have  contributed  very  largely 
to  the  success  of  the  Hereford  breed  in  America.  Sir  Charles,  548,  vi^as  first  secured 
about  1871  to  head  the  since  celebrated  herd  of  Mr.  T.  L.  Miller,  Beecher,  111.;  and 
not  long  after,  Mr.  Miller  imported  the  cow  Dolly  Varden  and  her  calf  Success. 

Probably  no  other  man  in  America  has  done  so  much  to  advance  the  interests  of 
Hereford  cattle  as  T.  L.  Miller.  His  latest  great  undertaking  to  push  the  white  faces 
on  irrigated  lands  in  Arizona,  for  shipment  by  train  loads  to  the  large  markets  of  the 
country,  is  an  enterprise  which,  if  successful,  will  rank  as  almost  phenomenal;  and 
that  it  will  be  successful  is  almost  assured  by  the  simple  fact  that  Mr.  IVIiller  has 
undertaken  it. 


CHAPTER    XXXV. 


GALLOWAYS. 

These  cattle  derive  their  name  from  the  province  of  Galloway,  lying  in  the 
southwest  portion  of  Scotland,  to  which  locality  they  trace  a  long  line  of  polled  ances- 
try. The  breed  is  among-  the  oldest,  authentic  history  carrying  it  back  to  the  begin- 
ning of  the  16th  Century,  and  tradition  asserting  that  their  was  never  a  time  when 
Galloway  cattle  did  not  exist  in  their  native  province;  moreover,  the  main  distinguish- 
ing points  of  the  breed  were  the  same  then  as  now,  subject  only  to  progressive  change 
from  careful  selection  and  management. 

Improvement  in  the  Galloway  breed  was  largely  stimulated  by  the  extensive  pur- 
chases of  Scotch  polled  cattle  by  the  English  soon  after  the  union  of  England  and 
Scotland.  The  Scotch  breeders  knowing  that  the  cattle  sold  were  to  travel  on  foot 
throughout  the  greater  part  of  England,  vied  with  each  other  in  attempting  to  furnish 
the  best  animals.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  improvement  of  the  Galloway  has 
been  effected  almost  entirely  by  skillful  selection,  judicious  feeding  and  careful  man- 
agement-— a  fact  which  accounts,  in  fixedness  of  breeding,  for  their  present  remarkable 
prepotency. 

Although  an  old  breed,  the  records  date  only  from  recent  time, — all  pedigrees 
and  papers  relating  to  the  breed  having  been  destroyed  by  fire  at  Edinburgh  in  1851. 
From  1851  to  1878,  they  were  recorded  with  the  Angus  and  other  polled  stock  in  the 
Polled  Herd  Book;  in  1878  Galloway  breeders  published  separately  the  first  volume 
of  the  Galloway  Herd  Book  of  Great  Britain,  and  in  1883  appeared  the  first  volume 
of  the  North  American  (j  allow  ay  Herd  Book — the  register  now  used  for  American- 
bred  Galloways. 

While  black  has  always  been  the  prevailing  color,  there  were  formerly  many 
well  bred  individuals  of  other  colors  and  one  of  the  most  apparent  improvements,  made 
by  later  breeders,  has  been  to  eliminate  variety  in  color  and  reduce  the  breed  to  its 
present   color  standard,  namely  black — in   winter  with  a  brownish  tinge.     It  must  be 


GAI.I.OWAYS. 


145 


140  GALLOWAYS. 

liorne  in  mind,  iiowevcr,  that  this  pecuHarity  still  shows  itself  in  an  occasional  rever- 
sion to  dun  or  drab;  and  such  animals,  while  inferior  in  selling  value,  are  nevertheless 
as  purely  bred  as  the  most  sable  of  their  kind.  We  have  at  this  writing  on  the 
College  Farm,  a  heifer— dropped  in  1880,  got  by  Admiral  Good  1184,  Am.  G.  H.  B., 
out  of  Admiration  1186,  Am.  G.  H.  B,  both  black— which  is  a  pure  dun  in  color,  but 
a  typical  Galloway  in  all  other  respects. 

DESCRIPTION    OF    THE    GALLOWAY: 

No  horns  are  admissible,  not  even  scurs;  they  are  emphatically  a  polled  or  horn- 
less breed.  The  color  should  be  black — in  winter  showing  a  brownish  tinge  from  the 
fact  that  the  long  hairs  turn  brown  at  the  extremities.  The  skin  should  be  of  medium 
thickness,  but  soft  and  pliable,  and  the  hair  long,  soft  and  wavy,  giving  a  silken  shaggy 
appearance — with  a  soft  thick  coat  of  wool  underneath.  Coarse,  straight,  or  closely 
curled  hair  is  objectionable,  especially  when  the  mossy  under-coat  is  wanting.  The 
head  should  be  short  and  wide  between  eyes,  with  full  forehead  and  open  nostrils ; 
eyes  large  and  prominent;  ears  medium  sized — rather  broad  in  proportion  to  length — 
pointing  upward,  fringed  with  long  hair,  and  well  provided,  both  inside  and  out,  with 
a  soft  woolly  covering;  neck  short,  tapering  finely  in  the  cow,  and  becoming  wonder- 
fully enlarged  with  age  in  the  bull;  quarters  long,  deep  and  fleshed  well  onto  the  leg; 
breast  wide,  brisket  heavy,  loin  well  filled  and  flank  low.  The  body  is  round  and 
long,  back  straight,  tail  thick,  with  a  heavy  brush,  and  legs  short  and  very  muscular. 
The  Galloway,  in  brief,  is  a  heavy  bodied,  short  legged,  hornless,  black,  beefy  looking 
animal.     No  scale  of  points  has  yet  been  adopted  for  the  breed. 

characteristics: 

The  Galloways  arc  mainly  a  beef-producing  cattle — their  flesh  finely  marbled, 
sweet  and  juicv ;  in  proportion  of  li\e  weight,  they  dress  remarkably  well,  averaging 
nearly  60  per  cent.,  and  frccjucntly  reaching  as  high  as  65  or  66  per  cent,  of  live 
weight.  As  range  stock  thc\-  ha\  c  proven  exceedingly  valuable,  being  hardy,  easily 
handled,  close  shippers,  and  amply  al)le  to  find  their  own  food  on  any  reasonable 
range. 

The  late  mania  for  dehorning,  which  we  have  mentioned,  although  advocated  by 
breeders  of  horned  cattle,  must  surely  work  to  the  advantage  of  all  of  the  polled 
breeds,  inasmuch  as  the  average  man  will  consider  it  much  safer,  more  economical  and 
much  less  cruel  to  remove  the  horns  by  using  a  naturally  hornless  bifll.  One  of  the 
prominent  traits  of  Galloway  cattle  is  their  prepotency  when  crossed  with  other 
breeds — fully  80  per  cent,  of  resulting  offspring,  being  without  horns.  As  to  matur- 
ity, there  is  considerable  difference  of  opinion,  due,  we  believe,  to  the  fact  that  (Jal- 
loways  vary  greatly  in  ages  at  which  individual  animals  reach  maturity ;  as  a  rule  we 
cannot  say  that  they  are  early  maturers — although  perhaps  comparing  favorably  with 
most  of  their  rivals  in  this  respect;  neither  do  they  as  a  rule  attain  so  great  weight  as 
several  of  the  other  beef  breeds  bulls  weighing  from  1700  to  2100  lbs.,  and  cows 
from  1000  to  1400  lbs.,  with  occasional  animals  exceeding  these  figures.  We  believe 
there  is  truth  in  the  following  statement:  Let  a  Galloway  steer  alone,  and  he  will  do 
what  he  can  with  credit  to  himself  and  profit  to  his  owner;  but  attempt  to  crowd  him 


GALLOWAYS. 


147 


111  "ii!'iir";!iiiii;'i 


148  GALLOWAYS ABERDEEN- ANGUS. 

for  extra  results,  and  beyond  a  certain  point  the  forcing-  pi'ocess  will  not  prove  a 
financial  success. 

In  the  dairy  little  is  claimed  for  the  Galloway  cows,  by  even  their  most  ardent 
admirers;  it  is  only  fair  to  state,  however,  that  among  them  are  found  some  ver}^ 
excellent  milkers.  The  practice  of  allowing  the  calf  to  run  with  the  cow  and  making 
the  herd  find  both  food  and  shelter  on  its  own  account,  while  it  may  have,  and  doubt- 
less has,  increased  the  hardiness  to  a  considerable  extent,  has  certainly  worked  great 
injurv  to  whatever  milking  superiority  the  breed  may  have  originally  possessed. 

In  the  South,  Galloways  stand  second  on  the  list  as  to  ease  of  acclimation;  and 
this  fact  will  doubtless  tend  to  gradually  increase  the  number  of  pure  bred  Gallo- 
wav  bulls  annualh-  shipped  to  Texas  ranges  for  improvement  of  native  stock. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 


ABERDEEN-ANGUS. 

(POLLED-AXGUS  OR  POLLED-ABERDEEX. ) 

As  to  the  origin  of  this  now  well-known  breed,  little  is  definite  beyond  the  com- 
monlv  accepted  belief  that  the  two  polled  Scotch  breeds^— Galloway  and  Aberdeen- 
Angus — are  descended  from  the  polled  variety  of  the  original  Forest  breed.  Of  the 
long  controversy,  between  Galloway  and  Angus  breeders,  regarding  the  merits  of 
their  respective  breeds,  we  have  nothing  to  say:  bv  many  the  two  breeds  are  con- 
sidered identical ;  some  of  our  best  judges  predict  that  at  no  great  distant  day,  the 
Aberdeen-Angus  and  GalloAvav  Associations  will  follow  the  example  so  latclv  set  by 
the  Holstein  and  the  Dutch  Friesian  breeders,  by  combining  forces  to  advance  the 
interests  of  all  concei-ned. 

We  cannot  say  that  we  agree  with  such  expression.  While  both  breeds  have 
undoubtedly  descended  from  the  same  original  stock,  yet  selection,  feeding,  care  and 
systematic  breeding  have  changed  the  characteristics  and  appearance  so  greatly  as  to 
fully  warrant  the  present  recognized  distinctions  between  them.  As  to  what  these 
differences  are  will  be  understood  from  a  studv  of  the  description  and  characteristics 
of  the  two  breeds — which  see. 

Improvement  of  the  Aberdeen-Angus  was  first  begun  in  a  systematic  way  about 
the  opening  of  the  present  century.  Probably  no  man  has  contributed  more  to  advance 
the  merits  of  Angus  cattle  than  Mr.  Hugh  Watson,  of  Keillor,  Scotland.  Mr.  Wat- 
son began  his  herd  in  1808  with  2  bidls  and  14  cows — the  "best  and  blackest"  that 
could  be  found — and  In-  continuallv  l)reeding  in  and  in,  putting  the  "best  to  the  best," 
without  regard  to  relationship,  and  carefullv  weeding  out  all  freaks  or  reversions, 
he  established  a  reputation  for  his  herd  and  for  himself  as  a  breeder,  which  the 
most  successful  of  breeders  iiiight  well  envv.  The  early  improvers  brought  to 
the  work   superior   ability,  practical    experience    and    sound    sense      following    up    the 


ABERDEEN'- ANGUS. 


149 


150  ABERDEEN-ANGUS. 

tlemand  for  an  animal  which  should  ranoe  well,  ami,  at  the  same  time,  prove  a  kindly 
feeder,  quick  maturer  and  an  animal  of  large  size,  they  kept  steadily  at  work  until 
the  foundation  of  the  Angus  breed  was  thoroughly  laid,  tested  and  received.  Among 
the  later  breeders  of  note,  we  may  mention  William  McCombie,  of  Tillyfour.  His 
herd  was  started  about  the  year  1830 — just  at  the  time  when  the  pure  bred  Aberdeen- 
Angus  was  threatened  with  total  extinction  through  the  exceeding  popularity  of  the 
Angus-Shorthorn  crosses  for  feeding  purposes.  Mr.  McCombie  believed  that  the 
Angus  breed  was  eminently  worthy  not  only  of  preservation,  but  of  improvement  as 
well,  and  steadil}-  directed  his  energies  toward  the  accomplishment  of  this  end. 

IMPORTATION    TO    THE    UNITED    STATES: 

The  first  of  which  we  have  any  record  was  made  in  1878  by  Mr.  Grant,  of  Vic- 
toria, Kan. ;  this  was  followed  in  1878  by  an  importation  of  five  cows  and  a  bull  for 
Messrs.  Anderson  &  Findlay,  of  Lake  Forest,  111.,  and  the  next  year  a  few  head  were 
brought  over  by  Mr.  F.  B.  Redfield,  of  Batavia,  N.  Y. ;  since  that  time  importations 
have  been  numerous  and  breeding  rapid,  until  there  are,  at  present  writing,  probably 
not  less  than  2500  to  3000  head  of  pure  bred  Aberdeen-Angus  in  the  United  States. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

We  can  best  distinguish  them  by  a  comparison  with  the  close  description  of  the 
Galloway  already  given:  There  are  no  horns.  The  color  is  pure  shining  black — 
without  the  brown  tinge  of  the  Galloway — and  the  hair  is  fine,  smooth,  short  and 
elose-lying.  In  this  respect,  alone,  the  Angus  cattle  show  a  greater  nicety  of  breeding, 
and  taken  in  connection  with  their  size,  illustrate  perfectly,  the  aim  of  both  early  and 
modern  improvers  of  the  breed,  namely :  to  produce  an  animal  which  could  be  forced 
with  profit,  attain  large  size,  and  attract  attention  by  his  neat  and  meaty  appearance. 

In  size  they  are  considerably  ahead  of  the  Galloway,  mature  bulls  ranging  from 
1800  to  2200  lbs.,  and  cows  from  1100  to  1500  lbs.;  the  forehead  is  less  inclined  to 
fulness,  the  back  broader;  flanks  dcejDcr,  and  general  form  more  nearlv  filling  the 
beef  rectangle. 

To  the  ordinary  observer,  not  interested  financially  in  either  breed,  the  Aberdeen- 
Angus,  would  undoubtedly  rank  first  from  looks  alone;  to  those  who  go  further,  and 
demand  not  only  looks,  but  hardiness  and  other  qualities  combined,  it  is  difiicult  to 
decide  between  them.  From  our  own  experience,  and  what  we  have  gathered  from 
others,  the  Aberdeen-Angus  is  the  better  animal  to  buy  where  feed  is  plenty  and 
pasture  luxuriant;  but  for  the  range,  where  the  animal  has  to  look  out  for  himself, 
we  would  prefer  the  Galloway.  The  fact  already  stated — that  Galloways  acclimate 
somewhat  better  than  Angus  in  the  southern  fever  belt — the  latter  standing  next  be- 
low the  former  bears  considerable  weight  with  breeders  in  the  great  Southwest. 
To  offset  this,  Angus  cattle  mature  earlier,  and  attain  greater  size.  Each  breed  claims 
preeminence  in  beef  qualities,  and  we  candidly  confess  our  inability  to  see  any  differ- 
ence between  them  on  this  point.  As  a  milk  cow,  the  Aberdeen-Angus  gives  an 
ample  supply  for  her  calf — no  more  is  needed  for  the  range.  Either  Angus  or  Gal- 
loway bulls  are  excellent  dehorners. 

The  first  volume  of  the  American    Aberdeen-Angus  Herd    Book  was  published 


ABERDEEN-ANCas. 


151 


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152  AHEKDEEN-ANGUS  —  SUSSEX    CATTLE. 

in  1886 — the  two  main  requisites  for  record  bein^:  (  1  )  The  animal  itself  or  its  sire 
and  dam  must  be  recorded  in  the  8th  or  prior  volumes  of  the  Polled  Aberdeen  or 
Angus  Herd  Book  of  Scotland.  (2)  The  animal  must  be  the  produce  by  registered 
sire  of  a  cow  that  has  produce  in  the  8th  or  prior  volumes  of  the  Polled  Aberdeen 
or  Angus  Herd  Book  of  Scotland.  The  illustrations  of  both  Galloways  and  Angus 
represent  excellent  specimens  of  their  respective  breeds,  and  will  well  repay  a  careful 
study. 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 


SUSSEX    CATTLE. 

This  breed  is  closel}-  allied  to  the  Devon — indeed,  some  writers  assert  that  it  is 
follv  to  class  them  as  separate  breeds.  We  cannot  think  so:  certainly  their  origin  is 
found  in  the  same  stock,  but  this  is  also  true  of  the  Galloway  and  Aberdeen- Angus 
breeds.  The  earlv  writers  on  the  breeds  of  cattle  in  Great  Britain  certainly  looked 
upon  the  Sussex  as  a  breed  well  worthy  a  class  by  itself.  Youatt  and  Martin,  while 
acknowledging  the  cc^nmon  origin  of  both  Devon  and  Sussex  cattle,  yet  speak  of  the 
Sussex  ox  as  possessing  not  onlv  the  activity  of  the  Devon,  but  the  strength  of  the 
Hereford,  "with  the  propensit}-  to  fatten,  and  beautiful  fine' grained  flesh  of  both." 

The  breed  takes  its  name  from  the  county  or  shire  of  Sussex,  England,  adjoin- 
ing Devonshire,  and  differing  from  it  in  contour,  elevation  and  fertility  of  soil.  As 
already  mentioned,  the  Devons  occupied  the  elevated  slopes  bordering  the  Severn ; 
the  Sussex  cattle  held  the  lower  regions  of  rich  luxuriant  pasture  farther  east;  and 
this  fact  alone — when  we  consider  the  long  period  of  time  involved — would  naturally 
lead  to  a  very  supposable  difference  between  the  two  breeds. 

Improvement  of  the  Sussex  has  not  been  rapid,  but  rather  marked  by  the  slow, 
steady  conservatism  of  their  English  breeders.  In  America  they  have  obtained  a 
foothold,  and  already  claim  a  large  share  of  favor  from  American  stockmen.  Mr. 
Overton  Lea,  the  energetic  and  popular  breeder  of  Mont  Eagle,  Tenn.  (now  Secre- 
tary of  the  recently  organized  association)  has  done  more  toward  pushing  the  Sussex 
to  the  front  in  the  last  five  years,  than  all  their  breeders  in  England  combined — and 
only  because  he  has  freely  advertised,  and  fully  exhibited  his  cattle,  courting  inspec- 
tion at  all  times,  and  asking  only  an  honest  opinion  as  to  their  merits. 

DKSci{ip-ri()x    AND  characteristics: 

Color,  like  the  De\()n,  a  rich  dark  n:d,  with  white  brush  to  the  tail;  in  size  they 
excel  the  Dexon  considerably,  mature  bulls  weighing  from  1700  to  2000  lbs.,  and  cows 
from  1,100  to  1,400  lbs.  ComjKU-ing  further  with  the  Devon,  we  may  say:  The 
head  is  coarser  with  thicker  horns;  neck  heavier,  shoulders  deeper,  barrel  longer  and 
general  form  showing  more  of  a  beef  tendency;  they  mature  as  earlv;  are  fine  feeders, 
hardy,  dress  well  and  produce  an  excellent  ([uality  of  flesh. 


SUSSEX    CATTLE. 


153 


m 


154  SUSSEX    CATTLE SIMMENTHAL    (bERNESE)    CATTLE. 

At  the  Fat  Stock  Show,  Chicago,  1885,  a  yearling  Sussex  steer  received  the  Class 
prize  on  the  butchers  block,  and  was  only  defeated  by  one  vote  for  the  Sweepstakes 
prize  open  to  all  ages.  At  the  Kansas  Cit}-  Fat  Stock  Show,  1886,  a  two-year-old 
Sussex  heifer,  shown  by  Fowler  and  Van  Natta  of  Indiana,  won  both  the  Class  and 
the  Sweepstakes  prizes.  When  we  consider  the  great  number  of  magnificent  car- 
casses exhibited  in  competition,  we  may  readily  accord  to  the  Sussex  for  beef  a  place 
among  those  in  the  front  rank. 

As  milk  stock,  they  cannot  claim  much — improvement  of  the  breed  has  been 
rather  with  a  view  of  increasing  size,  appearance  and  feeding  value,  than  with  any 
idea  of  enhancing  their  dairy  qualities.  What  milk  they  do  give,  however,  is  quite 
rich  in  cream,  and  occasionally  a  cow  is  found  capable  of  an  excellent  record  as  to 
quantity. 

The  engraving  was  jorepared  expressly  for  our  use,  and  we  do  not  hesitate  to  say, 
that  the  animals  represented  are  second  to  few  if  any  in  America  in  point  of  general 
merit.  Mr.  Lea  as  a  breeder  of  Sussex  has  been  remarkably  successful,  and  his  uni- 
form courtesy  and  fair  dealing  have  secured  for  him  a  host  of  well-wishers. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 


SIMMENTHAL    (BERNESE)   CATTLE. 

The  Simmenthal  cattle  came  originally  from  Canton,  Berne,  Switzerland,  but  the 
best  specimens  are  found  in  the  valleys  of  Bernese  Overland,  and  on  the  rich  pastures 
of  western  Switzerland  and  southern  Germany.  In  southern  Germany,  especially, 
the  fertile  valleys  have  been  found  very  favorable  to  steady  improvement,  and  to  the 
late  King  William  of  Wurtemburg,  who  was  especially  interested  in  their  importa- 
tion to  Germany,  the  breed  is  largely  indebted  for  its  present  improved  condition. 

So  far  as  we  can  ascertain,  only  two  importations  of  these  cattle  have  been  made 
to  the  United  States.  In  1886,  the  Rev.  F.  Von  Schluembach,  of  Perry,  Tex.,  while 
on  one  of  his  periodical  visits  to  Germany,  became  much  impressed  with  the  idea  that 
just  such  cattle  as  the  Simmenthal  were  needed  in  the  United  States,  and  if  properly 
handled  would  grow  rapidly  in  favor.  He  accordingly  secured  and  brought  over 
successfully  four  head — two  bulls  and  two  heifers — all  yearlings,  the  first  Simmenthal 
cattle  ever  brought  to  America.  (The  second  importation  of  Simmenthal  cattle  was 
made  in  May,  1887,  by  John  Dick,  of  Quincy,  111.)  Writing  to  the  Author,  under 
date  February  14th,  1888,  Rev.  Von  Schluembach  says: 

"*  *  *  *  The  weight  of  the  cattle  in  Switzerland  is  very  great:  bulls  up  to  3000 
lbs.;  cows,  five-year-old,  upwards  of  1800  lbs.  Height,  from  1.34  to  1.4  meters  [54  to  56  inches]; 
length,  2.15  to  2.2  meters  [85  to  87  inches],  well  and  equally  developed  animals.  *  *  *  * 
Edelweis  [referring  to  one  of  the  heifers  imported  in  1886],  three-year-old  cow,  May  1st,  gives  about 
four  quarts  per  day  now,  but  she  will  come  in  with  second  calf  very  soon.  They  are  not  a  distinctlv 
dairy  bi-eed,  but  are  rather  for  meat  purposes;  but,  at  the  same  time,  I  believe  good  milkers  if  properly 
attended  to.     Although  I  imported  my  cattle  in  spring,  and  after  quarantine  in  New  York,  had  to 


SIMMENTHAL    (bERNESE)    CATTLE. 


155 


156  SIMMENTHAL    (bERNESe)    CATTLE. 

bring  them  to  Texas  in  August,  by  steamer  to  New  Orleans,  they  have  done  finely  from  the  start, 
and  are  easily  acclimatized.  The  success  I  had  with  them  in  this  respect,  I  attribute  in  no  littie 
measure  to  your  excellent  and  very  reliable  suggestions.  *  *  *  They  are  easy  kept  in  food) 
are  fully  satisfied  with  Texas  prairie  hay  and  loose  bran,  feed  up  well,  and  fatten  easily.  *  *  *  " 
Wishing  to  present  an  accurate  description  of  this  valuable  breed,  the  Author 
made  a  personal  inspection  of  Rev.  Von  Schluembach's  herd  in  March,  1888;  and 
from  notes  made  at  that  time,  gives  the  following 

DESCRIPTIOX    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color,  light  vcllowish  red,  spotted  with  white — in  one  strain  of  the  breed,  evenly 
variegated,  in  the  other  strain,  the  white  is  confined  mainly  to  the  legs  and  belly  line 
with  white  marks  about  the  flanks,  and  usually  also,  about  head  and  neck.  Further 
than  this  there  is  no  distinctive  arrangement  of  color  marking.  In  size  they  are  fully 
equal  to  the  largest  Herefords  or  Holstein-Friesians — bulls  weighing  at  maturity  1900 
to  2300  pounds,  cows  from  1200  to  1600  lbs.  The  head  is  broad  and  short,  rather 
beefy,  with  a  neck  which  in  the  bull  fills  up  grandly  as  the  animal  develops,  and  in 
the  cow  is  short,  not  delicate  but  neat  and  well  carried.  There  is  a  characteristic 
mark  in  the  peculiar  pendent  skin  beneath  the  throttle  in  both  sexes — especially  so  in 
the  bull — and  in  the  rather  long  and  finely  shaped  ears  well  fringed  with  hair.  The 
horns  are  white  and  waxy  to  the  tips,  pointing  outward  and  upward,  sometimes  for- 
Avard,  much  like  those  of  the  Hereford,  but  shorter  and  better  curved.  The  shoulders 
are  deep  and  surmounted  by  a  mass  of  dense  muscular  tissue,  filling  the  crops  to  an 
even  line ;  ribs  well  sprung  to  a  neatly  rounded  barrel ;  haunches  smooth — not  promi- 
nent: indeed,  the  even  rounded  appearance  of  the  haunches,  as  seen  from  rear  view, 
inav  be  called  a  prominent  characteristic  of  the  breed.  The  tail  is  placed  well  up, 
and  drops  squarely  between  full  buttocks ;  legs  medium  to  short,  with  large,  strong 
bone  closely  held  in  firm  tissue — -almost  the  perfection  of  bovine  symmetr}^  and 
strength.  The  general  appearance  indicates  beef  and  feeding  capacity;  and  the  long 
body,  squarely  placed  on  iegs  of  moderate  length,  gives  a  frame  work  of  sufficient 
size  to  carry  an  enormous  carcass. 

As  we  have  already  indicated,  the  Simmenthal  should  be  classed  with  the  beef 
breeds.  As  to  their  merit  for  use  in  grading  up  on  the  range,  we  can  only  conjecture, 
as  they  have  not  been  tried  long  enough  to  exhibit  any  grade  offspring.  We  believe, 
however,  that  the  southwestern  rangemen  have  a  very  valuable  addition  to  their  stock 
in  this  breed,  and  we  shall  await  further  trial  with  interest. 

The  engraving  has  been  prepared  expressly  for  our  use  from  a  photograph  of 
Rev.  Von  Schluembach's  cattle,  by  Baron  Von  Hollweg,  and  is  remarkably  accurate 
in  all  details.  The  bull  in  front  is  Czar;  a  fine  model  with  evenly  variegated  color. 
The  one  showing  escutcheon  (rear  view)  is  Sultan;  he  represents  the  tj-pe  in  which 
the  white  markings  are  limited  to  lower  line,  legs  and  head.  The  view  of  Sultan 
displays  full}^  the  characteristic  rounded  haunches,  and  shows  a  thigh  well  turned  and 
extremely  muscular.  The  cow  Edelweis  is  unfortunately  almost  hidden  by  the  two 
bulls,  but  is  fidly  their  equal  in  breed  markings  and  characteristics. 


BRAHMIN    (zebu)    CATTLE.  157 


CHAPTER   XXXIX. 


BRAHMIN    (ZEBU)    CATTLE. 

Referring  to  the  name  by  which  these  cattle  are  known  in  America,  it  may  be 
well  to  state  that  it  has  no  authentic  foundation  other  than  the  prevalent  but  mistaken 
idea — that  but  one  breed  of  cattle  is  found  in  India,  and  that  one  connected  in  some 
mysterious  way  with  the  Brahmin  religion.  There  are,  in  fact,  several  breeds  of  cattle 
in  India,  each  one  transmitting  its  peculiar  qualities  with  as  much  certainty  as  do  any 
of  the  modern  breeds  so  well  known  in  x\merica.  True,  all  of  these  families  possess 
many  characters  in  common,  but  they  differ  sharply  in  those  distinctive  qualities  by 
which  American  breeders  must  judge  of  their  value. 

Mr.  Albert  Montgomery,  of  New  Orleans,  has  kindly  placeil  at  hand  a  number 
of  private  letters  from  reliable  parties  in  various  portions  of  India,  written  in  lesponse 
to  queries  prior  to  his  importation  of  Brahmins  in  1885.  According  to  the  unanimous 
testimony  of  these  men — well  qualified  to  judge — the  family  best  calculated  to  find 
favor  in  America  is,  in  India,  known  as  the  "  Buchour,"  and  it  is  from  cattle  of  this 
family  that  most  of  the  shipments  to  America  have  l^een  made.  The  name  "  Brah- 
min," however,  is  so  firmly  fixed  among  those  who  ha\  e  bred  or  know  n  them  in  the 
Southern  States,  that  it  would  lie  impracticable  at  least  to  attempt  a  change.  \\'e 
have  therefore  adopted  the  nomenclature  which  heads  this  chapter,  and  shall  lefer, 
solely,  to  the  cattle  as  now  known  in  the  United  States. 

The  Brahmins — as  noted  above  form  one  of  the  common  domestic  breeds  of 
Indian  cattle,  are  found  also  in  China  and  East  Africa,  and  are  the  only  breed  which 
can  endure  the  intense  heat  and  insect  pests  of  the  countries  named.  They  differ 
from  our  domestic  cattle  in  the  following  particulars:  The  period  of  gestation  is  about 
300  days,  while  the  average  period  with  the  common  cow  is  288  days;  they  have  a 
hump  of  fat  over  the  shoulders,  and  18  caudal  vertebrae  as  against  21  in  our  ordinary 
cattle.  These  characteristics  have  led  naturalists  to  class  them  as  a  distinct  species 
{^Bos  Indicus)^  but  the  bulls  breed  as  freely  with  all  \arieties  of  the  common  cow 
i^Bos  tauriis)^  as  w'ith  females  of  their  own  peculiar  breed. 

Introduction  to  the  United  States  dates  from  before  the  year  \S')'-\,  w  lun  Mr. 
Davis,  of  South  Carolina,  purchased  from  the  Earl  of  Derby,  the  first  pair  of  Jirah- 
mins  ever  brought  to  the  United  States.  This  importation  finally  found  its  way, 
about  1858  or  1859  to  the  McHatton  Farm,  above  St.  Louis;  but  it  was  too  far  north 
for  them,  and  the  entire  herd  was  afterward  sold  at  auction.  Brahmin  cattle  found 
their  way  to  Mexico  about  1867,  when  Mr.  F.  McManus  &  Sons  shipped  20  head — 
descended  from  the  Davis  importation — to  the  "  Brachimba  Farm,"  near  the  city  of 
Mexico.  No  attempt  was  anywhere  made  to  keep  them  pure,  but  the  grades  were 
much  sought,  and  were  soon  widely  scattered  through  northeast  Mexico  and  southern 
Texas.  Col.  Richard  Peters,  of  Atlanta,  Ga.,  also  made  an  importation  of  pure 
Brahmins  before  the  war,  and  descendants   of  his   stock    have   been    scattered  all  over 


158  BRAHMIN    (zebu)    CATTLE. 

Florida  and  the  coast  regions  of  Georgia,  Alabama,  Mississippi,  Louisiana  and  Texas. 
In  southern  Texas  especially,  the  Brahmin  blood  has  played  an  important  part  in 
improving  the  native  stock,  and  its  value  is  attested  by  the  constant  demand  for  Brah- 
min grades  from  practical  stockmen  in  the  region  named. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Thcv  mav  be  best  described  by  calling  attention  to  those  peculiar  points  which 
distinguish  the  grades — even  when  as  low  as  l-16th  of  Brahmin  blood  is  present. 
The  ears  are  long  and  drooping;  the  horns,  in  the  thoroughbred,  point  upward 
and  backward — in  the  grades  this  peculiarity  is  retained,  but  greatly  modified.  The 
dewlap  is  voluminous,  especially  at  the  throttle;  the  hips  are  rather  narrow,  and 
the  rump  slopes  rapidly  from  the  sacrum  to  the  tail.  The  loose  fold  of  skin  at  the 
navel  is  remarkably  developed^  swinging  from  old  males  so  as  to  almost  touch  the 
ground:  this  latter  may  be  called  the  distinguishing  mark  of  a  Brahmin  grade.  We 
have  seen  a  great  many  of  these  grade  steers — some  of  them  having  not  more  than 
l-16th  of  Brahmin  blood,  but  every  one  retained  this  peculiar  mark.  In  the  grade 
heifers  or  cows,  it  is  not  so  strongly  marked,  but  even  a  novice  would  have  no  trouble 
in  detecting  the  Brahmin  blood.  The  color  of  the  thoroughbred  Brahmin  is  a  sort  of 
silver  gra}-,  with  darker  (iron  gray)  fore  and  hind  quarters;  and  a  large  percentage  of 
the  grades  from  native  cows  exhibit  similar  markings. 

As  to  the  economic  value  of  this  breed  for  the  southwestern  ranges,  we  have 
already  written.  The  great  advantage  which  they  have  over  any  other  breed  capable 
of  improving  the  so-called  "native"  Texan,  lies  in  the  fact,  that  they  acclimate  with 
perfect  safety.  Their  native  home  is  subject  to  about  the  same  conditions  (in  concen- 
trated form)  as  obtain  in  the  Gulf  regions  of  the  United  States;  and  a  change  to  the 
latter  seems  only  to  act  as  a  sort  of  strong  tonic,  increasing  the  general  vigor  and 
health. 

We  cannot  sav  that  we  admire  them — in  fact  an  American  ideal  of  a  thorough- 
bred bull  is  likely  to  be  considerably  shattered  on  first  inspection  of  a  typical  Brah- 
min; but  there  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  their  utility  in  the  region  named.  The  cross 
improves  the  quality  of  native  beef,  and  adds  qviantity  by  increasing  size.  For  the 
dairy,  some  of  the  cows  are  said  to  be  superior;  they  give  a  large  quantity  of  milk, 
but  the  quality  is  rather  deficient;  moreover,  the  wild  nature  of  the  animal  is  liable 
to  crop  out  in  a  variable,  and  sometimes  vicious,  temper.  The  grades  from  good 
quiet  cows,  are  of  course  more  nearly  free  from  this  objection,  and  in  man}-  places, 
dairies  of  Brahmin  grades  are  giving  good  satisfaction. 

The  previouslv  published  experience  of  Col.  Peters  is  interesting  in  this  connec- 
tion, and  we  quote: 

"  The  animals  did  excellent,  and  I  thought  I  had  solved  the  problem.  They  made  fine  beef 
cattle — wonderful — and  some  of  them  were  extraordinary  milkers.  I  had  one  grade  Brahmin  cow, 
that  gave  36  quarts  of  milk  per  day ;  I  exhibited  her  at  the  fairs,  and  took  premiums  everywhere; 
but  I  discovered  that  the  milk  lacked  butter-making  qualities.  *  *  *  *  And  then  the  Brahmins 
were  the  most  malevolent  animals  in  the  world,  with  a  distinctive  aversion  to  women.  I  don't  think 
I  ever  saw  a  Brahmin  cow  that  a  woman  could  milk.  *  *  *  *  I  never  knew  one  animal  to  die 
of  murrain.     They  made  the  best  work  oxen  I  ever  raised." 

The  place  for  the  Brahmins  is  on  the  southern  ranges,  and  the  grade  bulls — half 
bloods — with   A\hich   Mr.  Albert    Montgomery,  of  New  Orleans,  and   his   partner,  J. 


:ahmin  (zebu)  cattle. 


159 


160  BRAHMIN    (zebu)    CATTLE — WEST    HIGHLAND    CATTLE. 

M.  Frost,  of  Houston,  Texas,  are  supplying  the  market,  find^ready  sale  at  good  prices, 
Mr.  Frost,  writing  to  the  Author  under  date  of  July  9th,  1888,  says: 

"  I  defy  any  man  to  name  the  time  when  he  ever  saw  a  tick  on  either  pure  or  half-breeds,  or  a 
worm  from  the  blow  fly  [screw  worms].  Further  than  this,  1  defy  any  man  to  say  that  he  ever  saw 
any  of  them  to  die  from  a  severe  winter.    They  are  the  grandest  cattle  that  exist  for  southern  climates." 

The  illustration  represents  the  imported  Brahmin  bull  Khedive,  and  several  of 
his  grade  offspring  from  native  Texas  cows — property  of  the  gentlemen  just  men- 
tioned— and  was  engraved  for  our  use  from  photographs  taken  in  Houston,  Texas. 


CHAPTER    XL. 


WEST    HIGHLAND    CATTLE.     ' 

(kyloes.) 

This  breed  is  undoubtedly  native  to  the  Highlands  of  West  Scotland,  and  the 
islands  along  the  coast.  The  mountain  breeds  of  Scotland  may  all  be  referred  to  the 
same  original  stock,  and  their  variations  at  the  present  time,  ascribed  to  climatic  or 
other  natural  and  artificial  conditions  under  which  they  have  been  reared.  As  in 
Wales  we  have  the  Pembroke  and  North-Wales  Cattle,  so  in  Scotland,  we  have  the 
West  Highlands,  as  direct  descendants  of  the  original  Forest  stock. 

Improvement  of  the  breed  has  been  effected  mainly  bv  selection  and  careful  in- 
breeding. About  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  the  Duke  of  Argvle  commenced  a 
systematic  course  of  breeding,  which  soon  called  public  attention  to  the  herds  of 
Argyleshire;  in  course  of  time  the  superior  qualit}'  of  his  stock  was  communicated  to 
all  the  cattle  of  the  Highlands,  and  has  since  served  as  a  basis  for  their  continued 
excellence  and  improvement.  The  Hebridean  farmers  especially,  declare  that  the 
Kyloes  are  as  nearly  perfect,  for  that  locality,  as  may  be,  and  assert  positively  that 
outcrosses,  whenever  tried,  have  only  tended  to  render  the  offspring  less  hardy  with- 
out increasing  either  quality  or  quantity  of  beef.  Several  importations  have  recently 
been  made  to  the  United  States  and  Canada,  and  we  may  confidently  look  for  more 
extensive  introduction  in  the  future. 

description: 

Color,  black ;  until  late  years,  this  color  was  not  so  strictly  adhered  to — brown, 
brindle,  dun  and  other  colors  were  nearly  as  common  as  black ;  even  now  while  the 
fashionable  Kyloe  must  be  black,  there  are  many  animals  of  equal  merit  showing 
other  colors,  indeed  we  are  inclined  to  agree  with  Prof.  Low  when  he  says: 

"  The  breeders  should  look  to  the  essential  character  of  form,  without  limiting  themselves  to  a 
black  color  of  the  hair,  which  is  a  property  altogether  secondary." 

The  face  is  broad,  tapering  to  a  narrow  muzzle,  and  showing  a  gradual  dish  or 
curvature  from  the  horns  to  the  nose.     The   eyes   arc   prominent,  bright  and  restless; 


WEST    HIGHLAXD    CATTLE. 


161 


WEST  HIGHLAND  BULL. 

(English  Engravinjr.i 


162  WEST    HIGHLAND    CATTLE. 

ears  well  carried  and  thickly  covered  with  hair;  horns  middle  sized,  broad  and  waxy 
at  base,  and  curving  upward  to  sharp  points  of  a  darker  shade ;  neck  short  with  con- 
siderable dewlap;  back  wide  and  straight,  with  full  crops  and  even  loin;  ribs  well 
sprung,  and  dropping  to  somewhat  flattened  sides.  A  striking  peculiarity  of  the 
Kyloe  is  found  in  the  small  space  between  the  hips  and  the  last  floating  ribs.  The 
lumbar  region  is  remarkably  short  and  strong,  a  provision  rendered  necessary  by  the 
mountainous  character  of  their  native  country,  and  admirably  fitting  them  for  moun- 
tainous or  hilly  ranges  wherever  found.  The  hind  quarters  are  full,  deep  and  fleshed 
well  down  to  the  hock — twist  low;  forequarters  wide  apart,  deep  and  heavy;  brisket 
very  full,  and  projecting  well  forward;  legs  short,  straight  and  strong  boned.  The 
skin  is  mellow,  "handling"  remarkably  well,  and  the  hair  is  long,  thick  and  more  or 
less  wavy — curled  hair  is  considered  an  objection.  In  general  we  may  say:  the 
Kyloe  is  a  compact,  blocky  built,  neat  looking,  middle  horned  animal  of  dark  color 
and  medium  size.  Mature  bulls  weigh  from  1100  to  1600  lbs.;  cows  from  700  to 
1000  lbs. 

characteristics: 

The  West  Highland  breed  has  two  ver}-  strongly  marked  characteristics — (1) 
hardiness;  and  (2)  excellent  beef  qualities.  To  use  a  western  expression,  the  Kyloe 
is  a  good  "rustler" — that  is,  he  is  entirely  capable  of  taking  excellent  care  of  himself 
if  given  a  reasonable  opportunity.  Trained  for  generations  to  range  over  pastures 
always  hilly,  and  sometimes  scant,  and  sheltered  only  by  the  rocks  and  ravines  of  his 
native  range,  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  modern  Kyloe  is  superlatively  hardy.  Why 
they  have  not  been  introduced  more  extensively  in  the  ranges  lying  along  the  foot 
hills  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  is  only  explained  by  the  push  and  energy  of  Hereford, 
Angus  and  Galloway  breeders;  and  the  mania — we  can  call  it  nothing  else — among 
Americans,  for  breeding  size  without  regard  to  vigor.  Certainly  it  would  be  hard  to 
imagine  a  better  stock  for  the  broken  range  countries  of  the  western  United  States, 
than  is  found  in  this  vigorous  and  impressive  breed. 

And  now  comes  the  second  point  in  his  favor — meat  excellence.  Facts  are  stub- 
born things,  and  the  fact  that  Kyloe  or  West  Highland  beef  has  almost  invariably 
commanded  a  higher  price  in  the  London  markets  than  beef  of  other  breeds,  speaks 
volumes  in  its  favor.  We  must  remember,  however,  that  the  Kyloes  have  never  yet 
been  in  such  demand  as  to  shut  off  the  annual  supply  of  thoroughbred  beef;  while 
with  some  of  the  more  popular  breeds,  nothing  has  found  its  way  to  the  shambles, 
except  the  inferior  ^animals — too  poor  for  breeding  purposes.  That  the  West  High- 
land beef  is  really  better  than  the  marbled  beef  of  either  Galloway,  Angus  or 
Hereford,  we  are  much  inclined  to  doubt ;  but  that  Kyloe  beef  is  as  good  as  the  best 
there  can  be  no  question.  As  work  cattle,  we  have  litttle  knowledge  concerning  them; 
the  people  of  the  Highlands  have  always  been  essentially  stock  raisers,  and  there  has 
been  consequently  small  demand  for  oxen  trained  to  the  vokc.  They  possess  the 
essential  properties — activity  and  strength — and  with  training,  would  undoubtedly 
rank  high  for  this  purpose.  Nothing  is  claimed  for  the  Kyloe  cow  in  the  dairy:  she 
gives  sufficient  milk  to  bring  up  her  calf  in  excellent  condition  and  for  the  range, 
nothing  more  is  desired. 


WEST    HIGHLAND    CATTLE. 


163 


164  WEST    HIGHLAND    CATTLE TEXAS    CATTLE. 

The  engraving  of  cow  and  calf  was  prepared  expressly  for  the  Breeders  Gazette 
of  Chicago,  and  the  kindness  of  the  Gazette  people  in  parting  with  an  electro  for  our 
use,  is  acknowledged  with  thanks;  the  engraving  of  the  bull  is  English  work — both 
represent  excellent  specimens  of  the  Highland  breed. 


CHAPTER    XLI. 


TEXAS    CATTLE. 

On  the  ranges  of  the  Southwest  have  existed  for  many  years,  vast  herds  of  cattle, 
which  by  their  peculiar  characters — effectually  transmitted  to  their  offspring — may 
be  classed  as  a  breed.  Although  known  as  "  Texas  Cattle,"  the  same  race  extends 
throughout  Mexico,  and  has  been  pretty  well  scattered  through  the  more  northern 
and  western  territories  of  the  United  States.  According  to  Allen  (American  Cattle) 
"  they  are  the  descendants  of  the  early  Spanish  stock  introduced  into  Mexico  in  the 
sixteenth  century;"  and  this  is  undoubtedly  correct,  as  a  comparison  of  Texas  cattle  with 
the  modern  cattle  of  Spain  would  show — even  at  this  time,  after  centuries  of  changed 
conditions — a  marked  similarity. 

The  same  original  stock  must  also  have  furnished  a  nucleus  for  the  now  almost 
countless  bovine  population  of  South  America.  In  this  connection  we  quote  Prof. 
Low  (Domestic  Animals  of  Great  Britain): 

"The  origin  of  those  amazing  herds  which  cover  the  plains  of  Paraguay,  Buenos  Ayres,  and 
other  noble  provinces,  is  traced  by  Spanish  writers  to  the  arrival  by  way  of  Brazil  of  seven  cows 
and  a  bull  from  Andalusia,  at  the  City  of  Assumption  on  the  Paraguay,  in  the  year  1556." 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color  varies,  light  dun  and  mouse  color  are,  perhaps,  most  common,  but  red, 
yellow  and  black — and  each  with  all  styles  of  white  markings — are  found.  A  point 
already  mentioned  in  the  chapter  on  Jerseys  is  the  usually  lighter  color  of  the  hair 
bordering  the  muzzle — a  peculiarity  doubtless  derived  from  the  cattle  of  Spain  where 
it  is  commonly  observed.  In  size  they  vary  according  to  the  quality  of  range,  but  as 
a  rule  are  small— bulls  weighing  from  1000  to  1200  lbs.;  cows  from  600  to  900  lbs. 
Texas  steers  at  4  years  old,  grass  fat,  generally  weigh  from  900  to  1200  lbs.  The 
distinguishing  feature  lies  in  the  extraordinary  size  of  the  horns;  these  assume  various 
wide,  spreading  shapes,  sometimes  measuring  upwards  of  four  feet  from  tip  to  tip. 

The  cows  are  practically  worthless  for  the  dairy — few  giving  more  than  one  or 
two  gallons  per  day  on  good  feed ;  but  the  value  of  the  race  to  the  whole  country 
where  it  finds  a  natural  home,  can  hardly  be  over-estimated.  The  improved  breeds 
have  found  in  this  hardy  stock,  a  basis  which  receives  most  kindly  the  blood  of  im- 
provement; indeed,  but  for  Texas  cattle,  the  Southwest  would  wait  long  years  before 
possessing  many  herds  of  improved  varieties.  It  is  wonderful  what  results  obtain  in 
a  few  years  from  a  single  improved  bull,  placed  with  Texas  cows.     There  is  no  dying 


TEXAS    CATTLI 


165 


:    (0 
=    H 


166        TEXAS  CATTLE HINTS  ON  SELECTION,  CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  CATTLE. 

of  such  offspring  by  acclimating  fever,  and  if  the  bull  only  survives  until  the  cows 
are  served,  he  has  more  than  repaid  his  cost.  It  is  this  fact  which  has  stimulated  the 
demand  for  thoroughbred  bulls  during  the  last  decade,  and  jDlaced  thousands  upon 
thousands  of  Hereford,  Aberdeen,  Galloway,  Shorthorn  and  other  grades  upon  our 
ranges.  The  breed  originally  known  as  Texas  Cattle,  will,  before  many  years,  be  a 
thing  of  the  past,  but  its  descendants  combining  the  blood  of  improved  varieties,  will 
give  a  different  character  in  the  future  to  Texas  cattle  sold  for  Eastern  markets. 

The  engraving  is  an  exact  reproduction  of  a  photograph  taken  under  our  imme- 
diate direction  Aug.  4th,  '88,  and  may  be  accepted  as  a  fair  likeness  of  a  native  Texas 
ox,  (  The  horns  of  the  animal  represented  in  the  illustration  measured — at  time  the 
photo  was  taken — three  feet,  five  inches  from  tip  to  tip,  and  the  animal — five  years 
old— weighed  about  1000  lbs.) 


y 


CHAPTER    XLII. 


HINTS  ON   SELECTION,  CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  CATTLE. 

As  already  noted  in  the  summary  of  part  second,  we  have  considered  the  breeds 
of  cattle  under  three  heads — dairy,  general-purpose,  and  beef.  Each  of  the  known 
families  of  cattle  must  be  classed  under  one  of  these  divisions,  and  for  whatever  pur- 
pose bred,  will  all  be  subject  to  the  same  general  principles  of  care  and  handling. 

In  these  days  of  specialists  and  "experts,"  even  the  breeders  of  stock  have  caught 
the  contagion,  and  lines  are  drawn  so  closely  between  dairy  and  beef  types,  that  it  is 
an  absolute  necessity  to  refer  to  some  intermediate  class  the  many  breeds  which  are 
valuable  in  both  extremes,  but  supreme  in  neither.  Cattle  are  no  longer  chosen 
entirely  with  reference  to  size,  weight  and  rounded  contour;  but  the  peculiar  qualities 
of  each  animal  are  as  carefully  estimated,  and  for  these  qualities  the  animal  as  quickly 
appropriated  to  satisfy  some  taste  or  special  judgment,  as  any  other  commodity,  sub- 
ject to  the  inevitable  law  of  supply  and  demand.  There  is  ample  room  for  every 
improved  breed  of  cattle,  which  has  been,  or  in  the  future  may  be,  established;  and 
we  have  little  patience  with  such  narrow  views  as  prompt  a  breeder  to  decry  all  other 
breeds  but  his.  To  advance  one's  interests,  by  setting  forth  the  good  qualities  of  his 
wares,  is  perfectly  legitimate;  but  to  attempt  to  advance  one  breed  by  tearing  down 
another,  is  pernicious,  and  will  sooner  or  later  destroy  public  confidence,  not  only  in 
the  men,  but  also  in  the  breed  they  champion  so  unwisely. 

In  deciding  the  question  as  to  which  breed  will  prove  most  profitable,  a  man 
must  be  governed  largely  by:  (1)  The  natural  conditions  of  soil  and  climate;  (2) 
nearness  to  market  or  shipping  facilities;  (3)  the  relative  cost  of  outfits  and  materials 
for  carrying  on  the  different  lines  of  work;  (4)  The  cost  and  scarcity  or  abundance 
of  competent  labor;    (5)  the  probabilities  of  fluctuation  in  market  value,  or  the  rela- 


HINTS  ON   SELECTION,  CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  CATTLE.  167 

tive  cost  of  holding  over  to  meet  a  more  favorable  market;  and  (6)  most  important  of 
all,  the  peculiar  fitness  of  the  man,  either  by  natural  ability,  taste  or  education,  for  one 
of  the  special  lines  of  work  to  which  the  various  breeds  are  severally  adapted. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  how  impracticable  it  is  to  give  advice  on  selection  of  the 
"best"  breed,  and  how  utterly  worthless  such  advice  must  be,  unless  given  with  inti- 
mate knowledge  of  all  the  peculiar  conditions  we  have  mentioned,  and  many  others 
which  will  doubtless  occur  to  the  thinking  reader.  There  are,  however,  certain  points 
which  may  be  given  as  an  aid  to  individual  selection,  and  of  these  we  mention: 

First. — The  animal  should  be  carefully  studied,  with  reference  to  some  standard 
description  of  the  breed  to  which  it  belongs;  such  a  description  we  have  aimed  to  give 
in  each  Chapter  devoted  to  a  breed;  and  no  animal  should  be  selected  for  breeding 
purposes  that  does  not  show,  in  appearance  or  progeny,  the  dominant  characters  of  its 
particular  breed. 

Second. — If  a  cow  desired  for  the  dairy,  she  should  have  the  typical  milk  wedge: 
that  is,  as  seen  either  from  above  or  from  the  side,  a  V  shaped  outline,  with  the  apex 
forward.  The  fore  regions  may  be  rather  light  in  appearance,  but  the  barrel  must 
gradually  deepen  to  the  flank,  joining  the  udder  in  an  almost  continuous  line,  as 
though  the  entire  body  were  a  portion — as  indeed  it  is — of  the  milk  machine.  As  to 
shape  and  appearance  of  the  udder,  breed  characteristics  must  largely  govern,  but  we 
may  say  in  general  that  a  well  formed  udder  should  be  large  only  when  distended 
with  milk:  when  empty  it  should  appear  small,  and  will  usually  hang  in  loose  folds  or 
wrinkles.  As  a  rule,  those  cows  having  broad  udders  close  up  to  the  body,  but  spread- 
ing well  forward  and  back,  may  be  expected  to  give  a  good  quantity  of  milk,  while 
the  cows  with  rather  narrow  and  longer  udders — "bottle-shaped" — will  usually  give  a 
better  quality  as  to  butter  content.  The  so-called  milk  veins,  running  from  the  udder 
region  on  either  side  of  the  abdomen  forward,  should  be  irregular  and  puffy,  rather 
than  straight  and  even;  a  rich^ yellow  colored  skin  is  usually  an  excellent  indication  of 
value  in  the  butter  line,  and  a  soft,  glossy  coat,  is  an  invariable  accompaniment  of 
health. 

The  escutcheon  or  "milk  mirror,"  consists  of  hair  turned  in  a  reverse  direction 
from  that  grown  on  other  parts  of  the  body,  and  is  found  on  the  udder — spreading 
forward  and  backward,  and  between  the  thighs,  covering  a  greater  or  less  surface 
according  to  the  milking  capacity  of  the  animal.  As  previously  stated,  we  shall  not 
undertake  a  description  of  the  various  classes  and  orders  of  escutcheons  outlined  by 
Guenon ;  the  system  is  of  sufficient  importance  to  justify  all  the  comment,  favorable 
and  otherwise,  which  it  has  provoked,  and  we  can  do  no  less  than  advise  a  careful 
study  of  the  subject  before  deciding  as  to  its  practical  utility.  In  our  own  experience, 
we  have  found  the  Guenon  system  of  much  value.  The  escutcheon  cannot,  in  our 
opinion,  be  relied  on  as  the  onlv  expression  of  good  or  bad  milking  quality,  but  if 
properly  used  in  connection  with  other  milk  signs  it  furnishes  a  most  valuable  aid  in 
the  selection  of  dairy  stock.  Finally,  and  most  important  of  all,  be  sure  that  the  ani- 
mal has  a  feminine  look:  a  decided  cowy  appearance,  especially  of  the  head,  not  only 
indicates  milking  promise,  but  may  also  be  accepted  as  a  uniform  sign  of  docility. 

The  typical  outline  for  meat  excellence  should  be  sought  in  an  animal  full  and 
even  at  all  points,  but  especialh'  well  rounded  at  the  parts  which  carrv  beef  of  hij^hcst 


168  HINTS  OX  SELECTION,  CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  CATTLE. 

price  and  quality.  Animals  which  lay  on  fat  in  bunches  are  objectionable,  as  are, 
also,  those  which  carry  an  immense  bony  frame — too  large  to  be  ever  fully  loaded. 
To  put  the  matter  in  a  nut-shell:  In  selecting  for  beef,  choose  always  the  animal 
which  will  dress  the  largest  amount  of  high-priced  beef  and  the  least  proportion  of 
low-priced  beef  and  offal.  The  parts  to  be  fayored  then,  are:  Shoulders,  fore  ribs, 
loin,  haunches  and  hams ;  and  the  parts  to  be  curtailed  as  much  as  possible  are :  Head, 
neck,  legs  and  belly.  Beef  is  the  end — if  not  the  aim — of  all  cattle,  and  on  the  great 
ranges  of  the  West,  until  the  fertile  prairies  are  dotted  with  settlers  homes,  the  beef 
breeds  will  hold  an  undisputed  sway. 

Third. — Between  these  two  extremes  of  milk  and  beef  stands  the  general-pur- 
pose animal — the  one  of  all  others  which  must  always  play  a  prominent  part  in  the 
economy  of  thousands  of  small  farms  throughout  the  United  States.  The  small 
farmer  demands  a  cow  which  will  not  only  furnish  a  fair  quantity  of  milk  and  bvitter, 
but  also  carry  at  the  same  time  a  frame  of  good  size,  and  show  a  natural  tendency  to 
flesh  when  not  in  milk.  Steers  from  such  cows  make  profitable  feeders,  and  the 
cows  themselyes  when  rendered  unfit  for  breeding  by  any  cause,  as  accident  or  age, 
may  be  fed  for  the  butcher  and  turned  into  cash  at  minimum  loss.  To  select  such  an 
animal,. requires  ability  to  discover  and  appreciate  the  good  points,  when  partially 
hidden  by  others  of,  perhaps,  equal  worth,  but  opposite  indications.  With  this  per- 
ceptive ability,  and  a  knowledge  of  the  good  points  of  both  beef  and  dairy  types,  a 
man  will  experience  little  difficulty  in  selecting  cattle  for  an}'  desired  purpose. 

Concerning  care  and  management  for  the  herd,  we  are  pleased  to  present  the 
following  letters  from  practical  breeders  in  different  jjortions  of  the  United  States: 

Holstein- Fries  ians. 
"Lakeside  Farm,  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  July  24th,  1888. 

*  *  *  *  "The  methods  of  feeding  and  caring  for  our  stock  are  extremely  simple. 
Calves  are  taken  from  dams  when  a  day  or  two  old  and  fed  for  a  few  weeks,  new,  full  milk;  then,  as 
the  calf  gets  age  and  strength,  we  take  away  the  full  milk,  and  in  its  place  give  centrifugally  separ- 
ated skim-milk.  We  also  give,  dry,  a  small  amount  of  ground  oats  and  wheat  bran,  the  amount  of 
either  food  depending  on  the  condition  and  assimilative  powers  of  the  animal.  As  the  animal  devel- 
ops, we  add  to  the  amount  of  dry  and  liquid  food  given,  as  we  think  the  calf  will  digest  and  assimilate 
it,  until  it  reaches  an  age  and  development  that  warrants  taking  the  milk  away  and  supplying  hay  and 
grain.  We  always  leave  a  little  hay  in  manger,  that  the  calf  may  eat  ad  libitum.  In  summer  we  send 
the  females  to  pasture,  and  the  males  are  kept  in  stable,  but  are  given  frequent  exercise  in  open  air 
yard?  or  paddocks.  We  commence  using  the  bulls  at  about  a  year  old.  We  aim  to  breed  the  heifers, 
conditions  being  favorable,  when  about  15  to  16  months  old,  so  that  they  will  calve  after  two  years 
old.  As  the  time  approaches  for  calving,  the  heifer  is  put  in  a  box  stall,  and  carefully  watched,  and 
during  calving,  if  necessary,  assistance  is  given.  For  the  first  few  days  after  calving,  very  little  grain 
food  is  given,  and  that  largely  bran  ;  then,  as  she  gains  strength,  we  gradually  add  in  quantity  and  qual- 
ity of  grain  food,  the  amount  depending  entirely  on  the  individual  and  its  powers  of  digestion  and 
assimilation,  but  in  a  mixture  of  two  parts  of  wheat  bran  to  one  of  ground  oats  and  one-fourth  of  one 
part  of  oil  meal,  which  is  our  mixture  for  cows,  where  quantity  of  milk  is  required,  or,  if  feeding  for 
butter,  one  part  each  of  corn  meal,  ground  oats  and  bran,  and  one-fourth  of  one  part  of  oil  meal,  the 
amount  per  capita  would  be  from  4  to  12  pounds  per  day. 

"Our  milch  cows  are  milked  twice  or  three  times  a  day,  as  circumstances  dictate,  and  are  fed  at 
each  milking,  which  is  done  in  the  stable,  grain  feed  being  fed  dry.  In  summer,  cows  run  in  pasture; 
they  are  fed  soiling  foods,  such  as  rye,  clover,  oats  or  corn  in  stable,  when  pastures  are  poor.  In 
winter,  corn  or  clover  ensilage  is  fed,  with  an  alternate  feeding  of  hay. 


HINTS  ON   SELECTION,  CAKE   AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  CATTLE.  169 

"The  milk  of  each  cow  is  carefully  weighed  separately,  and  the  amount  set  down  at  the  time  on 
a  blackboard  conveniently  placed,  and  each  day  transferred  to  a  book  made  for  the  purpose;  the  milk 
is  then  taken  to  the  creamery  where  it  is  thoroughly  strained  through  a  perforated  tin  strainer  and 
four  thicknesses  of  cheese-cloth  into  a  large  tank;  from  there  it  goes  into  a  smaller  tank  and  thence 
into  the  De  Laval  Separator.  The  skim  or  separated  milk,  is  run  into  a  tank,  from  which  it  is  drawn 
as  needed.  The  cream  is  put  in  large  vessels  and  allowed  to  acidify,  and  then  churned  in  a  cubic 
churn  propelled  by  steam  power.  When  the  butter  is  in  the  grain,  the  buttermilk  is  drawn  off,  and 
the  butter  thoroughly  washed  in  clear,  cold  water;  it  is  then  taken  to  the  butter- worker,  and  salt 
added,  one  ounce  to  the  pound  of  butter,  then  packed  away  in  a  cold  room,  and  next  day  taken  out, 
worked  and  packed  for  market. 

"We  use  no  cotton  seed  meal  or  concentrated  or  highly  stimulating  foods,  nor  any  drink  other 
than  pure  water.     Scrupulous  cleanliness  is  used  in  caring  for  both  calves  and  cows,  milk  and  butter. 

"We  keep  our  service  bulls  in  stalls,  and  fasten  them  with  chain  from  ring  in  the  nose,  and  also 
from  strap  around  the  neck.  They  are  so  placed  as  to  be  able  to  see  each  other,  and  we  think  this 
tends  to  make  them  fearless  of  strangers  and  accustomed  to  company.  These  bulls  we  feed  very 
sparingly  of  grain,  and  give  hay  and  soiling  foods  in  summer  and  ensilage  in  winter. 

Yours  truly,  Smiths,  Powell  &  Lamb." 

The  above  is  an  excellent  type  of  well-planned,  thorough  system.  Lakeside 
Farm  has  become  very  widely  known  for  the  high  class  of  its  stock  and  dairy  prod- 
ucts, and  the  success  attained  is  explained  by  the  above  outline  of  actual  methods 
pursued. 

ye7-scys. 

Manor,  Tex.,  July  16th,  1888. 

"  *  *  *  *  My  stock  run  in  pasture  in  all  except  the  very  severest  weather.  Young 
things  by  themselves  until  old  enough  to  breed,  when  they  are  turned  into  the  larger  pasture  with  the 
others.  The  time  of  their  breeding  is  noted.  Unless  in  thin  order,  no  feed  is  given  to  heifers  or  dry 
cows  in  the  grass  season.  Cows  giving  milk  are  fed  all  the  time  on  cotton-seed,  shelled  oats  and 
crushed  corn  and  cob  meal,  with  hay  or  corn  fodder  as  I  happen  to  have.  If  a  cow  is  to  drop  calf  in 
winter,  she  is  carefully  watched,  and  stabled  in  roomy  box  stall  well  littered.  If  the  weather  is  mild, 
she  is  left  in  pasture.  (No  mules  in  pasture).  As  soon  as  the  calf  is  dropped,  the  cow  is  milked  out 
clean. 

"  The  calf  is  allowed  to  suck  until  it  is  three  or  four  days  old,  when  it  is  removed  and  afterwards 
never  allowed  to  suck,  but  fed  on  whole  milk  fresh  from  the  cow  till  it  is  four  to  six  weeks  old,  when 
sweet  skim  milk  is  gradually  substituted.  At  first  the  skim  milk  is  slightly  warmed,  but  afterwards, 
unless  in  exceeding  cold  weather,  no  warming  is  done.  I  have  never  had  a  case  of  milk  fever  nor 
other  trouble  about  calving,  nor  do  my  calves  ever  suffer  from  scours.  If  an  animal  appears  consti- 
pated, a  dose  of  salts  or  '  liver  regulator'  is  given,  but  I  doctor  very  little.  In  bad  weather  everything 
is  sheltered  and  fed,  the  main  food  for  everything  being  cotton-seed.  In  fact,  except  to  cows  in  milk, 
cotton-seed,  with  access  to  straw  stack  and  pasture  is  the  only  feed. 

"  I  have  lost  a  few  head  from  Black  Leg,  but  believe  it  can  be  prevented — not  cured  if  it  is 
very  far  advanced.  When  an  animal  dies,  all  the  young  and  susceptible  animals  are  at  once  given  a 
mild  cathartic  and  antiseptic.  Have  used  Copperas,  tablespoonful,  with  about  as  much  of  the  dry 
powder  Simmons'  Liver  Regulator,  or  one  level  teaspoonful  Salicylic  Acid  and  heaping  teaspoonful 
of  Sulphite  of  Soda;  in  either  case,  the  dose  is  repeated  for  two  or  three  days.  I  have  stopped  three 
outbreaks — losing  none  after  beginning  treatment. 

"  In  short,  I  follow  nature  as  near  as  I  can,  depending  on  grass,  good  water  and  pure  air  for  all. 
For  about  three  months,  stable;  remainder  of  time  in  open  lots;  calves  on  grass  from  two  weeks  old. 

Very  truly,  &c.,  L.  B.  Giles." 

The  above  gives  an  idea  of  how  the  dairy  herd  is  handled  where  cotton-seed  is 
the  main  or  staple  food.  While  we  are  not  of  opinion  that  cotton-seed  is  the  best 
food  for  cows  in  milk,  yet  there  is  no  doubt  that  it  and  its  product  after  extraction  of 


170  HINTS  ON   SELECTION,  CARE   AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  CATTLE. 

the  oil cotton-seed,  meal — are  the  most  valuable  concentrated  food-stuffs  which  the 

Southern  dairyman  can  command.  Fairly  good— even  excellent— butter  is  made 
from  the  milk  of  cows  fed  largely  on  cotton-seed-meal,  but  its  best  effect  is  had  when 
combined  in  smaller  proportion  with  food-stuffs  less  rich  in  protein.  Mr.  Giles  has 
certainly  made  an  excellent  showing  in  way  of  handling  calves;  there  are  few  herds, 
where  calves  are  reared  by  hand,  that  do  not  occasionally  suffer  from  attacks  of  the 
scours,  and  Mr.  Giles'  success  in  thib  respect  is  probably  due  to  the  fact  that  he  makes 
accurate  note  of  the  animal's  condition  from  the  time  it  is  born. 

Devons. 

"Nashville,  Tenn.,  July  19th,  1888. 

ii  *  *  *  *  As  a  breeder  of  Devons,  having  as  the  principal  object  in  view^,  the  sale 
of  young  animals,  it  is  necessary  first  that  there  should  be  absolute  purity  of  blood;  this  is  secured 
by  starting  with  pure  bred  cows  and  bull,  and  as  the  bull  is  by  much  the  largest  part  of  the  herd, 
extraordinary  care  is  taken  in  his  selection.  No  bull  in  my  herd  is  inbred  to  his  own  calves,  and 
although  I  do  not  part  with  a  bull  which  I  consider  good,  when  his  heifers  come  of  age  to  be  bred 
another  bull  of  different  strain  is  bought  to  serve  them.  My  heifers  are  bred  not  under  two  years 
old,  and  are  placed  with  the  bull  in  the  month  of  July,  so  that  the  first  calf  of  the  heifer  will  be 
dropped  in  April  or  May,  thus  giving  an  opportunity  for  the  udder  to  be  expanded  by  the  spring 
grazing.  Of  16  heifers  being  bred  this  season,  the  youngest  was  dropped  2nd  September,  1886,  so  that 
the  youngest  heifer  will  be  at  least  31  months  old  at  calving,  and  most  of  them  three  years  old.  My 
object  in  this  is  to  give  stamina  and  constitution,  both  to  the  cows  and  their  progeny,  which  I  think 
are  greatly  impaired  by  the  very  early  breeding  practiced  by  some  breeders,  in  the  great  desire  to  get 
quick  returns.  After  the  first  calf  is  dropped,  I  do  not  consider  it  of  much  importance  in  our  climate 
at  what  season  the  calf  comes,  so  my  bull  runs  with  the  herd  of  milk  cows  all  the  time,  and  calves  are 
being  dropped  by  my  cows  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  the  time  between  calves  running  from  ten  to 
twelve  months. 

"The  bull  is  driven  to  the  cow-house  regularly  every  night  with  the  milk  cows,  and,  in  my 
experience  of  twelve  years  as  a  breeder  of  Devons,  buying  a  new  bull  about  every  two  years,  I  have 
never  had  a  vicious  bull.  This  may  be  attributed  in  part  to  the  docility  of  the  breed,  but  I  think  it 
also  partly  attributable  to  the  manner  in  which  they  are  kept.  All  of  my  cows  (twin  calves  or  some 
rare  cases  excepted)  are  milked  night  and  morning  in  order  to  protect  and  develop  the  milking  habit, 
but  not  enough  is  taken  from  them  to  stint  the  calves,  who  finish  the  job  and  take  what  the  milkman 
has  left,  and  no  great  complaint  is  made  about  the  quantity  of  the  milk  which  goes  to  the  dairy  so 
long  as  the  calves  are  fat. 

"  Calves  are  turned  out  to  pasture  every  morning,  and  when  weaned  at  six  to  eight  months  old,  are 
put  upon  pasture.  During  the  winter  months  the  weaned  calves  have  as  much  hay— red  top,  timothy 
or  clover— as  they  can  eat,  and  once  each  day  are  fed  with  grain  (cornineal  coarsely  ground)  enough 
to  keep  them  in  good  condition.  Cows  are  milked  in  the  cow-house  in  stall  with  rope  halter  fastened 
around  the  neck,  and  are  fed  every  time  they  are  milked— during  the  summer,  very  lightly,  just  a 
little  being  put  in  their  troughs  to  keep  them  quiet;  but  in  winter  all  the  finely-cut  hay  thej  can  eat, 
and  coarsely-ground  cornmeal  as  a  grain  ration.  Except  in  extremel}'  severe  weather  in  winter,  cows 
are  turned  out  every  day  and  night.  Loose  boxes  about  10x20  feet  are  provided  for  coavs  which 
calve  in  the  winter,  and  in  summer,  small  pastures  near  by  in  which  cows  are  put  a  few  days  before 
calving.  Such  is  my  system;  the  result:  gentle  bulls,  healthy  cows,  breeding  regularly  up  to  the  age 
of  18  or  20  years,  and  healthy  calves,  kept  easily  all  the  time  in  good  growing  condition,  but  never 
pampered  until  they  look  fat  enough  for  prize  beef. 

Truly,  Edward  D.  Hicks." 

Mr.  Hicks  knows  how  to  handle  Devons  for  profit.  His  plan  of  letting  the  bull 
run  with  the  cows,  is  one  which  must  be  carefully  regulated  as  to  number  of  cows 
admitted  if  the  sire  is  to  be  kept  in  prime  breeding  shape;  but,  when  so  managed,  is 


HINTS  ON  SELECTION,  CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  CATTLE.  171 

very  satisfactory.  It  is  the  jDractice  usually  adopted  by  all  breeders  of  range  stock, 
certainly  tends  to  render  the  bull  more  easily  subject  to  control,  and  cannot  fail  to  find 
plenty  of  advocates.  His  method  of  rearing  calves  will  make  fine  beef  animals,  but, 
if  continually  practiced, — one  generation  after  another, — will  surely  tend  to  destroy 
whatever  capacity  for  large  milk  yield  a  breed  may  have  originally  possessed.  As 
we  have  stated — "Nature"  is  all  right  in  her  way,  but  a  considerable  amount  of 
"Art"  has  always  been  required  to  increase  the  dairy  excellence  of  any  breed.  His 
practice  is  correct,  inasmuch  as  it  fills  the  demand  for  beauty  of  form,  fattening  pro- 
pensity, and  early  maturity  which  a  majority  of  Devon  purchasers  have  created ;  but 
we  confess  to  a  feeling  of  disappointment  that  the  Devon  bi-eed  is  not  more  strongly 
stimulated  to  bring  into  greater  prominence  its  inherent  dairy  worth. 

Red-Polled  and  Shorthorn    Grades. 

"Temple,  Texas,  August  20th,  1888. 
*         *         *         * 

"I  begin  when  calves;  pen  everything  each  night;  keep  plenty  of  salt  in  the  lot  at  all  times; 
throw  them  a  batch  of  shucks  or  cut  corn — all  of  which  has  a  tendency  to  make  them  gentle  and 
docile.  I  breed  them  young,  let  the  calves  come  at  24  to  30  months  old,  then  feed  well.  I  think  that 
makes  better  milkers.  It  has,  however,  a  tendency  to  dwarf  the  heifer — she  never  gets  so  large  when 
so  treated.  My  cattle  are  all  'Muleys:'  I  can  feed  twelve  head  in  a  12-foot  trough  and  not  crowd 
them.  I  use  young  bulls  a  little  at  one  year  old — say  ten  cows  that  year  I  keep  my  bull  up  in  day 
time  with  calves  all  the  spring,  and  turn  him  out  at  night;  it  makes  him  much  gentler  and  n.ore 
docile.  I  keep  a  ring  in  each  bull's  nose  after  one  year  old.  I  dehorn  when  calves,  if  they  have 
horns  at  birth.  I  feed  milk  cows  the  year  round — it  pays.  I  use  salt,  sulphur  and  lime  for  my  cattle; 
don't  allow  the  ticks  to  accumulate  on  them.  I  have  my  cows  milked  at  6  a.  m.  and  G  p.  m.,  as  near 
as  I  can.  I  keep  about  20  to  25  head  of  cattle,  which  are  penned  where  the  rain  carries  the  washings 
from  the  pen  on  to  the  farm,  hence  the  liquid  manure  is  saved  on  the  land  without  ir.uch  work. 

Yours  truly,  W.  A.  Clark." 

]Mr.  Clark  is  a  Texas  farmer  who  has  found  money  in  tlic  dairy  business.  He 
believes  in  dehorning,  but  thinks  they  should  always  be  remo\ed  when  the  animal  is 
very   young. 

Atnericafi  Holderness. 

In  answer  to  our  request  for  statement  as  to  methods  practiced  by  him,  Mr.  T. 
A.  Cole,  of  Solsville,  Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  originator  of  the  American  Holderness 
breed,  sends  a  very  interesting  "^yrite  up,"  clipped  from  the  New  York  (  Weekly^ 
Sun.     We  make  the  following  extract: 

"Rearing  Calves. — As  may  be  inferred,  nearly  all  the  calves  are  raised,  and  this  is  done  in 
addition  to  the  average  annual  yield  per  cow  of  300  pounds  of  butter.  At  first  they  are  fed  exclusively 
on  new  milk,  but  gradually  skimmed  milk  is  added  and  the  new  milk  diminished,  until,  at  the  end  of 
three  or  four  weeks,  nothing  but  skimmed  milk  is  fed.  To  make  up  for  the  loss  of  cream,  a  little  dry 
oil-meal  is  given  them  daily  to  lick.  They  are  all  shut  up  together  on  a  floor  24x36  feet,  which  has 
been  littered  with  the  cobs  from  500  or  600  bushels  of  corn.  On  these  they  caper  and  lie,  the  cobs 
absorbing  all  droppings,  and  the  action  of  the  calves  keeping  the  cobs  stirred  up  and  clean.  On  these 
they  are  kept  out  of  storm  and  sun  until  the  room  is  wanted  for  storing  hay.  Then  they  are  turned 
out  to  grass,  but  are  given  their  sour-milk  rations  until  about  the  1st  of  October.  After  this  the  sour- 
milk,  not  wanted  for  the  few  pigs  intended  for  the  family  pork,  is  given  to  the  cows.  The  horses,  all 
summer  long,  receive  regularly  a  ration  of  buttermilk,  which  they  appear  to  relish  exceedingly. 
Care  is  taken  that  young  animals  shall  continue  in  a  healthy,  thriving  condition,  but  are  not  per- 
mitted to  become  excessively  fat,  lest  they  acquire  a  tendency  to  put  on  fat  rather  than  expend  their 
energies  in  filling  the  milk  pail.     By  inbreeding  and  this  care  the  cows  are  all   remarkably   uniform 


172  niXTS  ON   SELECTION,  CARE   AND   MANAGEMENT  OF   CATTLE. 

in  their  milk-producing  qualities,  both  as  to  quantity  and  richness.  Mr.  Cole  says  this  uniformity 
extends  to  the  raising  of  the  cream,  and  the  time  required  to  churn  it — one  cow's  milk  being  as  like 
another's  as  one-half  of  a  mess  is  like  the  other  half.  So  completely  does  all  the  butter  come  at  the 
same  time,  that  he  has  tried  in  vain  to  get  an  additional  yield  of  butter  by  churning  the  buttermilk. 
The  separation  appears  to  be  complete  at  the  end  of  the  first  churning." 

The  main  point  which  we  wish  to  mention  in  the  practice  of  Mr.  Cole,  is  the 
one  of  allowing  the  calves  to  bed  on  corn  cobs.  The  idea  is  a  good  one,  and  if  put 
in  general  practice  among  Western  farmers  would  soon  do  away  with  the  unhealthy 
odors  too  frequently  found  in  the  calf-pen.  His  practice  of  feeding  back  to  the  cows, 
the  surplus  skim  product  from  the  dairy,  is  rapidly  growing  in  favor  and  is  giving 
excellent  results. 

Sho7-thorns. 

"Centre  Grove  Farm,  Durant,  Iowa,  July  28th,  1888. 
*         *         *         * 

"  We  are  breeding  Shorthorns  for  both  milk  and  beef,  so  our  methods  may  differ  from  those 
-svho  breed  exclusively  for  beef  or  exclusively  for  milk.  Every  breed  has  its  office,  and  we  believe 
the  milking  Shorthorn  must  fill  a  large  demand  made  by  the  general  farmer  who  wants  a  good  mil-  h 
cow  that  will  raise  a  good,  easy-keeping,  early  maturing  steer.  To  fill  this  now  rapidly  increasing 
■demand,  we  are  breeding  and  feeding  the  noble  'Red,  White  and  Roan,'  and  the  following  are  our 
methods: 

"  We  keep  our  bulls  in  a  separate  pasture  by  themselves,  where,  if  possible,  no  cows  will  be 
near  them.  Mature  bulls  will  keep  in  good  order  on  grass  alone;  growing  bulls  get  a  light  ration  of 
oats  and  bran  twice  a  day.  The  breeding  bulls  get  lots  of  exercise,  even  in  winter,  when  they  are 
turned  out  in  tight  yards  on  fine  days.  Ours  are  now  tied  in  stalls  at  night,  but  we  think  ;-unning 
loose  in  box  stalls  would  be  preferable. 

"  Heifers,  cows  and  calves  are  run  in  separate  pastures  as  much  as  possible.  Pastures  are  of 
mixed  grasses,  blue  grass  predominating.  Water  and  plenty  of  shade  complete  the  outfit,  and  for 
eight  months  of  the  year  the  cow  is  content.  Green  fodder,  however,  is  sometimes  given  during 
August;  this  is  relished  as  a  change.  Pumpkins  are  also  thrown  to  them  during  this  dry  time.  Rock 
salt  in  each  pasture,  affords  them  a  sure  supply  of  that  necessity. 

"  Cows  are  mated  at  the  first  '  heat '  after  the  calf  is  dropped,  unless  in  thin  flesh,  when  more 
time  is  given.  The  first  heat  is  surest  to  '  hold.'  Heifers  are  bred  at  from  18  to  28  months,  according 
to  size  and  flesh.  If  getting  too  fat,  we  breed  them  younger,  as  excessive  fat  in  a  heifer  is  liable  to 
produce  barrenness.     We  try  to  prevent  calves  coming  in  July,  August,  January  and  February. 

"Pregnant  cows  are  handled  much  the  same  as  the  other  cows.  The  calf  should  be  weaned 
when  its  dam  is  five  or  six  months  pregnant,  and  the  cow  should  be  milked  awhile  and  then  dried  off. 
The  remaining  three  months  of  rest,  should  enable  the  cow  to  put  on  flesh,  and  gain  strength  for  the 
coming  calf.  If  necessary,  such  cows  are  fed  extra  to  produce  this  condition.  We  expect  the  calf 
on  or  about  the  280th  day,  but  watch  closely  from  the  270th  day.  If  on  grass,  keeping  confined  on 
light,  loose  food  (bran  and  oil-meal,  &c.)  for  a  week  or  more  before  and  after  calving,  to  prevent  milk- 
fever,  and  to  be  present  at  parturition  and  save  the  calf.  Great  care  is  exercised  to  prevent  pregnant 
cows  from  being  chased  by  dogs,  gored  by  other  cattle,  wading  through  deep  mud,  or  eating  mouldy 
or  ergotized  fodder.     Some  times  feed  a  little  flaxseed  about  the  270th  day,  to  help  her  '  clean '  well. 

"  When  a  cow  begins  to  show  signs  of  calving,  the  attendant  stays  near  until  all  is  safe,  usually 
in  thabox  stall  with  her.  Soma  say  that  the  cow  prefers  to  be  alone,  but  I  think  our  cows  like  to 
have  me  there;  they  know  I  am  there  to  help  them.  If  the  cow  seems  to  need  help,  I  pull  down  on 
the  feet  of  the  calf  when  she  strains.  As  soon  as  the  calf  is  delivered,  I  leave  cow  and  calf  alone 
for  a  time,  then  feed  her  bran  mashes  (warm)  and  give  tepid  water.  The  cow  is  then  milked  three 
times  a  day  for  a  few  days,  and  twice  a  day  for  a  few  weeks  (or  months)  till  the  calf  can  take  all  and 
not  physic  him. 

"If  the  calf  sucks  and  his  bowels  move  once  during  the  first  six  hours,  he  is  fairly  started  on  the 
road  to  market.     We  allow  him  to  stay  in  a  stall  with  his  dam  for  a  few  days,  and  after  that  they  are 


niXTS  ON   SELKCTIOX,  CARK   AND  SELECTION   OK  CATTEE.  173 

together  only  at  night.  During  the  day  time,  he  plays  with  his  mates,  and  early  learns  to  eat  oats 
which  are  placed  within  his  reach.  This  feeding  is  continued  during  tlie  first  year,  and  sometimes 
the  second  winter  also.  Calves  run  in  separate  lot  during  the  day,  and  after  the  cows  have  been 
partly  milked,  the  calves  are  put  with  them. 

"At  a  very  early  age  (two  to  four  months),  the  bull  calves  are  taken  from  among  ihe  heifers 
and  placed  in  another  lot.  They  are  all  weaned  at  from  six  to  twelve  months  according  to  the  con- 
dition of  the  calf  and  cow,  and  the  slate  of  succeeding  pregnancy.  After  the  first  year,  we  expect 
them  to  keep  in  good  condition  on  grass  alone;  many  will  be  ready  for  market  at  any  time. 

"Our  grain  ration  for  young  stock  bulls  and  suckling  cows  is  three  parts  of  oats,  three  of  bran, 
three  of  corn  and  one  of  oil  meal.  This  is  varied  very  much,  however,  to  suit  the  animal  and  the 
season.  We  very  seldom  feed  corn  alone;  often  feed  oats  alone.  Raise  a  few  wurtzels  to  feed  in 
winter  as  a  change.  Some  corn  fodder  is  cut  in  early  September  and  fed,  ears  and  all  during  cold 
snaps,  besides  the  regular  hay  diet  of  stock  cattle.  Fine  blue  grass  pastures  are  allowed  to  grow  dur- 
ing the  fall  montlis,  affording  much  nutritious  food  for  stock  during  the  warm  winter  days  when  there 
is  no  snow. 

"Such  are  about  the  methods  now  in  use  at  Centre  Grove  Farm.  Of  course,  something  is 
learned  each  year  to  cause  us  to  make  some  slight  changes.  When  changes  are  made,  however,  we 
hope  they  are  for  the  better.  C.  W.  Norton  c'v  Sox,  /<■;■  Oak. 

We   should   like   to   iTiake   a  great    many   comments — mostly  favorable on   the 

above,  but  space  forbids  mention  of  more  than  the  main  points  suggested  by  the  out- 
line given.  Our  friend  "  Oak  "  is  right — there  is  no  doubt  that  the  cows  like  to  have 
him  around  at  the  "  labor"  period;  kindness  to  the  brute  creation  is  never  thrown 
away,  and  cows  brought  up  under  such  careful  treatment  as  that  pursued  at  Centre 
Grove  Farm,  always  crave  and  appreciate  the  attention  given.  The  practice  of  sep- 
arating the  bull  calves  from  the  heifers  at  an  early  age,  should  be  emphasized — and 
the  hints  on  breeding  cows  and  heifers  will  bear  reading  twice.  If  the\-  are  breeding 
for  both  milk  and  beef  as  noted,  it  is  presumed  that  the  calves  arc  not  allowed  to  do 
all  the  milking — and  at  irregular  intervals,  although  it  is  not  so  stated — otherwise  we 
should  think  the  tendency  would  be  more  toward  beef. 

Another  point  we  may  notice  briefly  is  the  practice  of  kcejjing  the  bull  entirelv 
away  from  the  cows  except  at  time  of  immediate  service.  There  is  no  doubt  that — 
if  mental  condition  at  time  of  coupling  has  any  effect  on  the  offspring — that  effect 
will  be  more  strongly  marked  by  such  practice.  We  have  tried  both  plans,  and,  while 
many  are  in  favor  of  permitting  the  cows  and  bull  to  nui  at  farthest  in  adjoining 
pastures,  we  believe — if  separated  at  all  the  separation  should  be  complete.  The 
only  question  that  can  be  raised  is  one  of  disposition ;  it  has  lieen  stated  that  bulls  kept 
in  sight  of  cows  will  be  more  easily  managed;  but  in  oiu"  own  experience  the  reverse 
has  been  true,  and  we  are  pretty  well  satisfied  that  to  keep  a  bull  in  good  temper,  he 
must  either  run  with  the  cows  and  be  handled  with  them,  or  be  kept  entirely  separate 
except  at  time  of  ser\ice. 

Holstein-Friesians. 

"Westburg  Farm,  Jesup,  Iowa,  Aug.  29th,  188S. 
*         *         *         * 

"  As  to  age  of  breeding,  my  practice  at  the  outset  was  to  breed  so  that  each  heifer  would  have 

her  first  calf  at  or  near  the  age  of  three  years.     My  own  observations,  and  the  milk  records  I  have 

taken  for  five  years,  have  not  yet  been  sufficiently  numerous  to  enable  me  to  decide  definitely.     As  to 

diminishing  size  by  early  breeding,  I  can  only  say  that  I  have  heifers  which  calved  at  two  and  two 

and  one-quarter  years,  as  large  as  those  that  calved  at  three  and  three  and  one-quarter  years.     As  to 


174  HINTS  ox  THE   SELECTION',  CARE   AND   MANAGEMENT  OF  CATTLE. 

milk  flow,  I  am  inclined  to  think  early  breeding  is  preferable  .  I  prefer  to  breed  as  nearly  as  possible 
in  December,  January  and  February;  just  as  good  (if  not  better)  calves  can  be  raised  in  a  warm  barn 
through  the  winter,  as  in  summer.  Milk  being  worth  more  in  November,  December,  January  and 
Februarv,  I  find  it  more  profitable  to  have  them  come  at  this  time;  in  summer,  milk  is  worth  45  to 
60  cents  per  100  lbs.,  and  in  winter  85  cents  to  $1.10  per  100  lbs.  I  avoid  having  cows  come  in  during 
warm  weather,  as  I  think  them  more  liable  to  have  parturient  apoplexy. 

"I  have  practiced  various  ways  of  rearing  calves;  have  seen  little  or  no  difference  in  size  and 
constitution  between  feeding  calves  the  fresh  milk  three  times  per  day  until  they  are  six  weeks  old- 
and  in  allowing  them  to  suck  the  cow  to  this  time.  My  general  practice  is  to  allow  them  to  suck  at 
least  seven  or  eight  times.  I  have  never  taken  a  calf  from  the  cow  as  soon  as  dropped.  As  far  as 
milk  flow  and  size  are  concerned,  I  am  prepared  to  believe,  that  calves  reared  on  sweet  skim-milk 
and  oats  for  a  time  after  they  are  four  to  six  weeks  old,  make  just  as  good  cows  as  those  allowed 
fresh  milk  for  six  months.  I  think  that  calves  allowed  to  suck  the  cow,  for  say  five  or  six  months, 
develop  a  habit  of  laying  on  fat  and  do  not  generally  make  as  valuable  cows  for  milk  on  that  account. 
"  My  practice,  in  summer  feeding  of  cows,  has  been  to  give  a  small  allowance  of  bran- — say  one  to 
one  and  a-half  lbs.  at  a  feed — even  while  the  pasture  was  good.  It  saves  much  of  the  labor  in  driv- 
ing from  the  pasture,  aside  from  contributing  to  the  volume  of  the  manure;  it  saves  also  time  and 
muscle  necessary  in  driving  them  in  the  barn  prior  to  milking.  For  winter  feeding,  I  aim  to  mix  50 
lbs.  of  bran  with  64  lbs.  ground  oats  and  56  lbs.  of  ground  corn.  Of  this  mixture  I  approximate  the 
needs  of  different  cows;  have  fed  as  high  as  24  lbs.  per  day  to  a  cow  weighing  1200  lbs.,  and  giving  65 
to  67  lbs.  milk  per  day ;  have  fed  five  to  six  lbs.  at  a  feed  to  cows  giving  30  to  35  lbs.  per  day.  Have 
practiced  mixing  this  ground  feed  on  a  small  allowance  of  wet  cut  hay,  and  am  confident,  from  the 
appearance  of  the  excrement,  that  a  great  benefit  resulted  from  this  practice. 

"  I  think  that,  as  a  general  thing,  twice  a  day  is  suflScient  for  milking.  I  have  milked  several 
cows  that  gave  large  messes  three  times  a  day,  for  at  least  one  month  after  calving,  and  afterwards 
twice  a  day.  Larger  milk  records  can  be  made,  of  course,  by  milking  three  times  a  day  throughout 
the  year.  A  fresh  cow,  especially,  should  be  milked  quite  regularly,  while  a  cow  that  has  given  milk 
six  months  will  not  be  affected  very  much  by  a  little  delay  in  milking.  I  aim  to  milk  all  cows 
regularly:  When  at  the  height  of  their  flow  in  summer,  I  think  they  ought  to  be  milked  about 
5  A.  M.  and  4:30  p.  m.     A  heavy  milker  usually  secretes  the  most  milk  from  morning  to  night. 

"  I  have  practiced  selling  milk  to  creameries  by  the  100  lbs.,  receiving  back,  at  different  times, 
the  set  skim  and  the  separated  skim-milk ;  have  also  set  the  milk  at  home  in  ice  water,  at  40  to  45 
degrees  Fahrenheit,  for  12  hours,  and  sold  the  unsalted  butter.  As  to  separated  skim-milk  from 
creameries,  that  require  the  milk  hauled  but  once  a  day,  I  have  decided  to  my  satisfaction  that  it  is 
much  less  profitable  than  set  skim-milk,  either  36  hours  or  12  hours  old — just  the  relative  difference 
I  am  not  aware  has  ever  been  settled.  Calves  fed  on  separated  skim-milk,  reared  in  this  vicinity,  are 
certainly  not  so  thrifty  and  large  as  those  raised  a  few  years  ago  on  set  skim-milk. 

"There  is  very  great  difference  of  opinion  among  men  as  to  keeping  cows  in  the  barn  during 
winter.  My  practice  is  to  keep  them  in  during  all  snow  storms  and  blizzards,  and  all  days  when  the 
thermometer  is  at  zero  or  below.  I  turn  them  out  two  or  three  times  a  day  for  water,  and  as  soon  as 
they  are  through  drinking  put  them  back — cleaning  out  the  stables  while  they  are  in.  The  tempera- 
ture should  be  above  32  degrees  Fahrenheit,  when  the  cattle  are  in  the  barn. 

Truly  yours,  J.  N.  Muncey.'' 

Mr.  Muncey  is  one  of  our  careful,  accurate  breeders,  well  qualified  by  taste  and 
an  extended  education  to  solve  some  of  the  actual  problems  of  the  day.  The  point 
he  mentions  (difference  in  feeding  value  betw^een  "set-skim" — the  skim-milk  left 
when  cream  is  removed,  after  setting  milk  away  for  a  number  of  hours — and  "  separ- 
ated skim-milk" — the  product  from  centrifugal  cream  separators)  is  one  of  consider- 
able interest.  In  the  South,  especially,  the  centrifugal  process  is  of  peculiar  value, 
saving  ice, — a  costly  commodity, — by  reason  of  greatly  decreased  bulk  in  handling; 
and  if,  as  Mr.  Muncey  suggests,  the  skim  product  from  the  machine  is  inferior  to  that 
from  set  milk,  some  way  must  be  found  to  remedy  the  defect. 


P^I?X     XHII^E). 


SHEER. 


SHORT-WOOLBD    BREEDS: 

PAGE 

Merinos Chapter  XLIII 176 

Atwoods "  "       182 

Paulars "  "        1 83 

Dickinsons "  "        186 

Black-Tops "  "         188 

Delaines "  "       101 

HORNED-DORSETS   "        XLIV 193 

Cheviots "        XLV 195 

MIDDLE- WOOLED  BREEDS: 

SouTHDOWNS Cliapter  X  L V I 197 

Shropshires "        XLVII 200 

Hampshires "        XLVIII 203 

Oxfordshires "       XLIX 206 

LONG-WOOLED  BREEDS: 

CoTswoLDS Chapter  L 208 

Leicesters "       LI 212 

LiNCOLNs "       LII 215 

HINTS  ON  SELECTION,  CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT: 
Chapter  LIII 219 


176 


CHAPTER    XLIII. 


MERINOS. 

Youatt  supposes  the  Merino  sheep  a  derivation  from  the  old  Tarentine  breed  of 
Italy.     In  his  book — «  Youatt  on  Sheep" — he  says: 

"  They  were  the  Tarentine  breed  already  described,  and  which  had  gradually  spread  from  the 
coast  of  Syria  and  the  Black  Sea,  and  have  now  reached  the  western  extremity  of  Europe.  Many  of 
them  mingled  with  and  improved  the  native  breeds  of  Spain,  while  others  continued  to  exist  as  a 
distinct  race;  and  meeting  with  a  climate  and  herbage  suited  to  them  retained  their  original  character 
and  value  and  were  the  progenitors  of  the  Merinos  of  the  present  day." 

Low  (1842)  says: 
"  Upon  the  whole,  although  authentic  documents  on  the  subject  are  wanting,  there  is  presump- 
tion that  the  sheep  of  Africa  were  employed  to  perfect  the  sheep  of  Spain  with  respect  to  the  pro- 
duction of  wool.  The  Merinos  exhibit  certain  characters  which  seem  to  show  them  to  have  been 
derived  from  some  country  warmer  than  that  in  which  they  were  naturalized,  and  it  was  during  the 
dominion  of  the  African  possessors  of  the  country  that  the  wool  of  Spain  arrived  at  its  greatest  ex- 
cellence." 

Stewart  in  his  valuable  work,  "  The  Shepherd's  Manual,"  says: 

"  The  Spanish  Merino  existed  as  a  distinct  race  2000  years  ago,  and  the  fine  robes  of  the  Roman 
Emperors  were  made  from  the  wool  of  Spanish  flocks.  There  is  no  history  or  tradition  as  to  their 
origin,  which  can  be  accepted  as  reasonable  by  any  practical  shepherd.  It  is  probable,  however,  that 
the  fine-wooled  sheep,  which  we  read  of  in  the  ancient  histories,  were  rather  the  natural  product  of 
very  favorable  conditions  of  soil  and  climate,  by  which  inferior  races  were  greatly  improved,  than  of 
any  direct  efforts  to  breed  them  up  to  a  desired  standard." 

That  the  Tarentine  sheep  were  taken  to  Spain  at  a  very  early  day,  is  proven  by 
the  early  writers;  but  there  is  little  doubt  that  Spain  received,  at  the  same  time,  acces- 
sions of  African  blood  from  the  fine-wooled  flocks  of  the  Barbary  States  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Mediterranean. 

Columella  (an  ancient  rural  economist  and  author  of  "  De  Re  Rustica" — a  copious 
treatise  on  agriculture,  in  twelve  parts — who  flourished  about  A.  D.  20  to  40)  informs 
us  that  his  uncle  (of  the  same  name)  took  with  him  from  Italy  to  Spain  a  consid- 
erable number  of  the  Tarentine  sheep;  and  that  he  also  secured  some  African  rams  of 
singular  beauty  which  had  been  exhibited  at  Rome. 

Pliny  the  younger  refers  to  the  "  red  fleece  of  Boetica" — an  ancient  district  of 
Spain — in  terms  of  the  highest  praise,  but  as  the  sheep  of  this  district  have  always 
retained  the  "  red  fleece"  of  which  he  speaks,  and,  as  they  have  always  differed — and 
still  differ  materially  from  the  Merino  breed,  it  is  hardly  probable  that  these  sheep — sup- 
posed to  be  of  Grecian  nativity — had  any  important  place  in  the  immediate  origin  of 
the  Merino. 

To  the  American  breeder  a  close,  accurate  account  of  the  precise  origin  of  Merino 
sheep  would  be  of  considerable  interest;  but,  unless  some,  as  yet  unfound,  history 
may  be  discovered,  the  precise  origin  of  the  Merino  will  remain  a  matter  of  deduction 


MERINOS.  177 

from  circumstantial  evidence.  Tlie  Merino  is  certainly  the  oldest  of  surviving  breeds, 
and  as  its  authentic  history  is  almost  co-existent  with  the  history  of  Spain  we  may  for 
all  practical  purposes,  and  without  further  question  as  to  its  remote  origin,  regard 
it  as  a  creation  of  Spanish  breeders,  who  used  the  finest  sheep  of  Italy  and  Africa,  and 
were  further  assisted  in  improving  the  then  native  flocks  by  the  natural  adaptation  of 
Spanish  soil  and  climate  to  the  rearing  of  fine-wooled  sheep. 

When  the  flocks  of  Spain  first  came  to  be  in  great  demanil,  there  were  found, 
then  as  now,  two  classes,  known  respectively  as  '■'■est ant es^^"*  or  stationary,  and  '■'■trans- 
humantes^''  or  migratory.  The  stationary  flocks  are  those  which  remain  in  a  certain 
district  during  the  year;  while  the  migratory  class,  on  account  of  scarcity  in  food  or 
w^ater,  make   bi-yearly  journeys  in  search  of  fresh  pasture. 

From  the  latter  class — generally  superior  most  of  the  sliipnicnts  to  other  coun- 
tries have  been  made. 

The  French  Merino  originated  from  an  importation  of  about  400  head  of  sheep, 
selected  from  the  finest  flocks  of  Spain,  in  1786.  A  few  had  been  imported  to  France 
nearly  a  century  before  this  date  by  Jean  Baptiste  Colbert,  Minister  of  Finance  to 
Louis  XIV,  but  they  were  not  appreciated  and  were  soon  lost  sight  of. 

The  importation  of  400  head,  mentioned  above,  was  made  by  the  French  (iov- 
ernment  during  the  reign  of  Louis  XVI,  and  most  of  the  sheep  were  placed  on  the 
Royal  Farm  at  Rambouillet,  where  their  improvement  was  carried  on  with  consider- 
able success;  it  was  from  this  circumstance  that  they  derived  the  name  "  Rambouillet" 
sheep,  by  w^hich  they  have  been  commonly  known.  The  Merinos  under  French 
management  increased  in  size  and  weight  of  fleece,  but  lost,  to  a  great  degree,  the 
hardiness  of  their  Spanish  parents. 

The  fleece  was  fine  fullv  equal  to  vSpanish  wool  — and  carried  a  much  smaller 
quantity  of  yolk:  this  character,  in  connection  with  their  increased  size,  made  them 
quite  popular  for  a  time  in  America;  the  small  ([uantity  of  yolk  rendered  the  fleece 
much  less  subject  to  loss  of  weight  in  washing,  Init  the  sheej)  were  soon  found  to  ])e 
too  tender  for  American  conditions,  and  rapidly  declined  in  favor. 

The  Saxon  Merino  originated  from  a  flock  of  800  Spanish  Merinos,  of  the 
Escurial  family,  sent  in  1765,  by  King  Louis  XV,  to  Saxony,  in  response  to  the 
request  of  his  brother-in-law  Prince  Xavier,  The  Escurial  family  of  Spanish  Merinos 
had  always  been  noted  as  bearing  the  finest  wool  of  any  in  the  Kingdom;  and  their 
Saxon  breeders  have  carefully  preserved  this,  the  only  really  valuable,  feature  of  the 
breed.  Saxon  Merinos  require  great  care  and  attention — being  the  least  hardy  of  any 
of  the  modern  Merinos — and,  as  they  yield  an  average  clip  of  not  o\  er  two  or  three 
pounds,  the  higher  price  obtained  for  quality  does  not  make  up  for  the  marked 
deficiency  in  weight  of  fleece. 

The  German  or  Silesian  Merino  is  the  only  one  (except  the  American  )  of  the 
Spanish  branches  wdiich  may  be  called  a  success.  It  is  the  direct  result  of  uniting  the 
Infantado  and  Negretti  families  of  Spanish  Merinos,  and  is  as  purely  Spanish  in  its 
nature  as  if  really  Spanish  bred.  The  original  importation  to  Silesia  was  made  in 
1811,  bv  Ferdinand  Fischer  of  W'irchenblatt.  This  gentleman  selected  in  person  J 00 
Infantado  ewes  and  four  Negretti  rams,  and  so  carefully  did  he  preserve  the  purity  of 
the  breed,  that  the  pedigree  of  every  sheep  since  the  foundation  of  the  flock  has  been 
recorded,  and  no  trace  of  outside  blood  can  be  found. 


178  MERINOS. 

Silesian  Merinos  from  Mr.  Fischer's  flock  were  first  imported  to  the  United 
States  about  1850-60,  by  William  Chamberlain  of  Duchess  Co.,  New  York,  in  all 
some  250  head,  and  have  since  obtained  considerable  favor.  The  wool  is  finer  than 
that  of  the  Spanish  Merino,  and  the  carcass  little  if  any  smaller.  They  mature 
slowly,  but  are  said  to  be  hardy  and  fairly  prolific. 

From  this  brief  account  of  the  Merino  in  other  countries,  we  may  pass  to  con- 
sider more  in  detail  the  modern  families  which  have  attained  popularity  on  this  side  of 
the  Atlantic. 

The  American'  Merino. 

The  first  importations  of  pure  Spanish  Merinos  to  the  United  States  were  soon 
lost  sight  of,  through  being  mixed  with  other  blood ;  but  we  give  them  in  order,  so 
far  as  possible,  as  being  of  interest  to  American  breeders. 

About  1791  four  Spanish  rams  were  shipped  to  the  United  States,  and  one  of 
them  was  used  in  the  vicinity  of  Wilmington,  Delaware,  until  1808.  In  1798  Hon. 
William  Foster  of  Boston,  imported  from  Cadiz  two  Merino  ewes  and  one  ram ;  these 
sheep  were  presented  to  a  friend,  who,  ignorant  of  their  great  value,  killed  and  ate 
them.  (Mr.  Foster,  it  is  said,  afterwards  caught  this  same  unfortunate  friend  in  the 
act  of  paying  $1,000.00  for  a  Mei'ino  ram,  no  better  than  the  one  he  had  eaten.) 

In  1802,  however,  the  first  importation  of  importance  was  made  by  Col.  David 
Humphreys  of  Derby,  Conn.,  then  Minister  to  Spain;  and  from  the  flock  then  intro- 
duced the  modern  Atwoods,  Dickinsons,  and  Black-Tops  have  sprung. 

Concerning  this  importation  we  quote  from  Vol.  I  of  the  Atwood  Register: 

"Col.  Humphreys  made  a  contract  with  a  gentleman  to  deliver  one  hundred  Spanish  Merino 
sheep  at  Lisbon.  Ninety  of  these  arrived  at  Derby,  Conn.,  in  the  spring  of  1802.  In  reference  to 
this  importation,  Col.  Humphreys  says,  in  his  miscellaneous  papers:  'Convinced  as  I  was  that  this 
race  of  sheep,  of  which  I  believe  not  one  has  been  brought  to  the  United  States  until  the  importation 
by  myself,  might  be  introduced  with  great  benefit  to  our  country,  I  contracted  with  a  person  of  most 
respectable  character  to  deliver  me  at  Lisbon  one  hundred,  composed  of  twenty-Gve  rams  and  seventy- 
five  ewes,  from  one  to  two  years  old.  They  were  conducted  across  the  country  of  Portugal  by  three 
Spanish  shepherds  with  proper  passports,  and  escorted  by  a  small  guard  of  Portuguese  soldiers.  On 
the  10th  of  April  they  were  embarked  from  the  Tagus  on  board  the  ship  Perseveratice,  of  350  tons, 
Caleb  Coggeshall,  Master.  In  about  fifty  days  Iwenty-one  rams  and  seventy  ewes  were  landed  at 
Derby,  Conn.,  they  having  been  shipped  at  New  York  on  board  a  sloop  destined  to  that  river.  The 
nine  which  died  were  principally  killed  in  consequence  of  bruises  received  by  the  violent  rolling  of 
the  vessel  on  the  Banks  of  Newfoundland.'" 

The  second  importation  of  importance — and  the  one  which,  by  reason  of  its 
magnitude,  has  done  most  to  stamp  the  character  of  American  Merinos — was  made  in 
1809-10,  by  William  Jarvis  of  Vermont,  then  United  States  Consul  at  Lisbon. 

Stewart  ("Shepherds'  Manual"),  referring  to  the  Jarvis  importation,  says: 

"This  consisted  of  3850  sheep  of  the  flocks  of  Paulars,  Neggretiir,  Aqueirres  and  Montarcos 
of  Spain.  These  flocks,  consisting  of  50,000  head,  had  been,  for  political  reasons,  confiscated  and  sold 
by  the  Spanish  Government,  with  other  property  of  the  four  grandees  who  had  owned  them.  Of  the 
imported  sheep,  1500  came  to  New  York,  1000  to  Boston,  and  the  remainder  to  Philadelphia,  Balti- 
more, Alexandria,  Norfolk,  Richmond,  Portland,  Wiccasset  and  Portsmouth.  Another  shipment  of 
2500  head  followed  in  1810,  and  were  distributed  between  New  York  and  Boston.  These  sheep  were 
of  the  prime  flocks  of  Spain,  an^ Spain's  loss  was  our  gain." 

From  the  importations  made  by  these  two  gentlemen — Col.  Humphreys  and  Mr. 


179 


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180  MERINOS. 

Jarvis — the  American    Merino,  with  its  numerous  subdivisions  or  families,  has  arisen. 
From  the  United   States   Merino  vSheep  Register  we  take  the  following  authori- 
tative 

DESCRIPTIOX    AXD    CHARACTERISTICS: 

"There  must  be  a  perfectly  authenticated  line  of  ancestry  extending  to  one  or  more  of  the  im- 
portations of  Merino  sheep  from  Spain,  made  prior  to  1812,  without  admixture  of  any  other  blood. 
The  constitution  is  indicated  by  a  heathful  countenance;  expanded  nostril;  short,  strong  neck;  deep 
chest;  round  barrel;  strong,  short  back;  strong  loin;  heavy  bone  of  fine  texture;  muscle  fine  and 
firm,  and  skin  thick,  soft  and  of  a  pink  color. 

"  Under  the  term  fleece  must  be  included  quantity,  quality  and  condition  of  the  wool,  as  shown 
by  the  weight  of  fleece,  the  length  and  strength  of  staple,  crimp,  fineness  and  trueness  of  fibre,  even- 
ness throughout,  freedom  from  gare,  and  the  fluidity  ard  amount  of  yolk. 

"The  term  covering  includes  the  extent  and  evenness  of  the  fleece  over  the  whole  body,  legs, 
belly,  neck  and  head;  the  quality,  lustre,  crimp,  density  and  length  of  wool,  and  the  quantity  and  kind 
of  oil  or  yolk.  The  shoulders  should  be  well  placed;  back  broad;  quarters  long  and  well  filled  up; 
head  short;  folds  in  the  neck,  elbow,  flank,  belly,  thighs  and  tail. 

"  Rams  at  full  growth,  in  breeding  condition,  should  weigh  130  lbs.  or  upwards,  and  ewes  about 
100  lbs.  The  head  should  be  of  medium  size ;  muzzle  clear ;  nose  (or  face)  covered  with  short,  glossy, 
furry  hair;  eyes  bright  and  placid ;  forehead  broad;  ears  soft,  thick  and  set  wide  apart;  ewes  hornless; 
horns  on  the  ram  well  turned  (set  not  to  closely  to  the  head  and  neck,  nor  yet  standing  out  too  wide), 
and  free  from  black  or  dark  colored  streaks.  The  neck  should  be  short  on  top  and  long  below ; 
strongly  set  to  the  head  and  shoulders,  becoming  deeper  toward  the  shoulders;  folds  heavier  under- 
neath and  extending  up  the  sides  of  the  neck,  including  heavy  dewlap  and  apron.  The  legs  should  be 
short,  straight,  well  spread  apart,  and  bone  heavy;  hoofs  clear  in  color,  and  well  shaped.  General 
appearance  should  be  bold  and  vigorous  with  symmetrical  form,  and  proper  complexion  of  covering." 

The  following  Scale  of  Points,  for  American  Merinos,  should  be  used  in  connec- 
tion with  above: 


Blood 20 

Constitution 18 

Fleece 13 

Covering 18 

Form 9 

Size 8 


Forward 81 

Head 6 

Neck 5 

Legs  and  Feet 4 

General  Appearance 4 

Perfection 100 

Forward 81 

In  the  South,  the  Merinos  are  better  known  than  any  other  breed  of  sheep;  the 
fact  of  their  continued  breeding  for  centuries  in  the  hot,  dry  climate  of  Spain,  and 
the  further  fact — or  perhaps  we  should  say  supposition — of  a  remote  ancestry  from 
the  still  warmer  latitude  of  northern  Africa,  has  fitted  them  especially  for  the  w^arm, 
dry,  elevated  regions  of  the  vSouthwest.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  however,  that  the 
Merinos  do  not  come  in  conflict,  in  any  particular,  with  the  heavier  sheep  of  the 
Down  and  Long-wool  tribes.  The  mission  of  the  Merino  is  to  furnish  wool,  and 
that,  too,  of  the  finest  quality ;  and  for  this  purpose  he  stands,  admittedly,  without  a 
rival. 

Of  the  more  prominent  strains  of  Merinos,  now  known  in  the  United  States,  we 
have  thought  best  to  give  a  short  account,  in  order  named,  of  the  Atwoods,  Paulars, 
Dickinsons,  Black-Tops  and  Delaines.  It  will  be  remembered  that  we  are  not  writing 
from  the  standpoint  of  a  biased    or  partisan  breeder:  our  statements  are  intended  to  do 


181 


182 


MERINOS. 


simple  justice  to  each,  and  if   we   fail  in   this  the  blame  cannot,  at  least,  be  imputed  to 
any  malicious  purpose  on  the  part  of  the  Author. 

The  Ativoods. 

The  origin  of  the  Atwood  family  may  be  given,  in  brief,  by  the  following  quota- 
tion from  Rules  of  Entry  to  the  Register  of  the  Vermont  Atwood  Merino  Sheep 
Club: 

"  Descendants  of  sheep  purchased  from  Stephen  Atwood,  or  vouched  for  by  him  as  pure  descen- 
dants of  the  Humphrey's  importation,  and  no  other  may  be  entered  in  the  Register  on  proving 
either  ancestral  purchase  from  Stephen  Atwood,  or  their  direct  descent  through  the  importations  of 
W.  S.  and  Edwin  Hammond,  R.  P.  Hall,  W.  R.  Sanford,  and  C  B.  Cook  from  his  flock,  to  the  satis- 
faction of  the  Executive  Board." 

The  flock  of  Stephen  Atwood  was  founded  in  1813,  when  he  purchased  of  John 
Riggs  a  six-year-old  ewe,  raised  by  Col.  Humphreys,  out  of  one  of  his  imported  ewes. 
Mr.  Atwood's  account  of  his  sheep — and  which  is  attested  by  reliable  gentlemen  who 
were  familiar  with  them — is  given  as  follows  in  the  Atwood  Register: 

"I  bred  the  Riggs  ewe  and  her  progeny  to  rams  I  knew  to  be  of  pure  Humphreys  blood,  till 
1819  "  and  at  that  time  he  states  :   "  I  bought  from  the  Leman  Stone  flock,  that  he  raised  from  Col. 


^7 

I 

WfiilM 


PURE-BRED  ATWOOD   MERINO  RAM,  CLINGSTONE   2nd,  40I. 

Weight  of  third  fleece,  ,30  lbs.;  sold  to  South  America,  ISSG;  bred  by  George  Hammomd,  Middlebury,  Vt. 

Humphreys'  flock,  five  ewe  lambs  that  I  selected;  and  with  these  five  lambs  and  the  ewe  I  bought 
first,  I  have  raised  my  flock  of  sheep." 

While  Mr.  Atwood  was  fortunate  enough  to  preserve  the  blood  in  its  original 
purity,  to  Edwin  Hammond  belongs  the  credit  for  most  of  the  great  improvement 
which  the  Atwood  sheep  have  undergone.     Mr.  Hammond  was  born  in  Middlebury, 


MERINOS.  ]y3 

Vermont,  May  20th,  1801,  and  lived  within  a  short  distance  of  his  birthphice  until  his 
death,  Dec.  31st,  1870.  He  was  a  man  of  excellent  judgment,  and  is  placed  by  some 
on  an  equal  footing  with  Bakewell  (of  Leicester  fame)  as  an  improver  of  sheep.  The 
Hammond  sheep  are  directly  descended  from  the  flocks  of  Stephen  Atwood,  and  thus 
it  happens  that  on  proof  of  Hammond  breeding,  the  purity  of  blood  is  at  once  accepted, 
and  the  animal  admitted  to  record. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

No  authoritative  scale  of  points  or  standard  description  has  been  adopted  by  the 
club,  but  the  following  points  may  be  stated  in  brief,  as  distinctive  of  the  Atwood 
sheep  :  They  are  large,  round  bodied  and  strong  boned;  very  heavy  shearers — a  clip 
of  24  or  25  pounds  for  rams  being  not  uncommon;  the  fleece  is  very  dense,  and 
although  abundantly  supplied  with  a  liquid  yolk  (natural  oil)  it  exhibits  little  tendency 
to  crust  externally:  when  parted,  the  wavy  crimps  of  the  wool  may  be  seen  to  the 
very  tips  of  the  fibre,  and  the  coloring  is  a  rich  buff  tint — one  of  the  points  for  which 
Mr.  Hammond  bred  in  particular.  The  skin,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  illustration,  is 
strongly  marked  by  folds  ("wrinkly")  at  both  neck  and  rump — a  peculiarity  even 
more  strongly  marked  in  the  next  family — (Paulars).  The  sheep  are  hardy,  and  the 
rams  have  been  extensively  used  for  grading  up  the  mixed  flocks  of  Texas,  New 
Mexico  and  Arizona. 

T]ie  Paulars. 

Concerning  the  history  of  the  Paular  Merino  family,  and  its  present  status,  as 
compared  with  the  other  recognized  strains,  we  have  thought  best  to  give-  without 
comment — the  views  of  the  acknowledged  leader  among  Paular  breeders  in  America, 
Mr.  Jno.  P.  Ray,  Hemlock  Lake,  N.  Y.  We  have  decided  upon  this  course  for  sev- 
eral reasons,  chief  among  which  stands  the  fact  that  Mr.  Ray  is  known  to  be  a  careful 
breeder,  and,  although  undoubtedly  somewhat  partisan  in  his  views,  a  thorough  student 
of  all  literature  bearing  upon  the  history  of  sheep. 

Replying  to  our  request,  he  writes  as  follows: 

"Probably  the  most  noted  of  all  the  Spanish  flocks  were  the  Paulars,  Infantados,  Escurials, 
Guadaloupes,  Negrettis,  Montarcos  and  Aquierres.  We  have  no  authentic  history  to  show  how 
marked  and  well  defined  were  the  differences  that  existed  between  these  families;  there  is  a  general 
belief  among  sheep  men,  that  the  Escurials  were  the  finest  fleeced  of  all  the  Spanish  flocks;  the 
Negrettis,  the  wrinkliest,  and  the  Paulars,  the  hardiest,  best  formed  and  heaviest  folded  in  the  neck. 
*  *  *  *  Col.  David  Humphreys  [see  Atwoods]  left  no  records  benind  to  show  from  what 
flock  or  flocks  he  obtained  his  sheep;  Consul  Jarvis,  who  went  to  Spain  soon  after,  made  a  great 
effort  to  learn  this  fact  but  without  success.  Stephen  Atwood,  the  distinguished  Connecticut  breeder 
who  lived  near  Col.  Humphreys,  wrote  Gen.  Otto  F.  Marshal,  Wheeler,  N.  Y.,  in  1884  that  Col. 
Humphreys'  sheep  were  of  the  Paular  breed.  That  Edwin  Hammond,  the  great  improver  of  Merino 
sheep  (Atwoods),  was  of  tiie  same  opinion,  the  following  certificates  witness: 

'"  MiDDLEBURY,  Vt.,  September  23d,  1847. 

'"This  may  certify  that  I  have  this  day  sold  to  D.  P.  Pond  of  Corn »vaU,  State  aforesaid,  six  full- 
blood  Merino  ewes— four  of  them  being  of  the  age  of  one  year,  and  one  of  them  bearing  the  age  of 
two  years.  Said  sheep  are  of  the  Paular  breed,  a  part  of  them  being  purchased  by  myself  and  R.  P. 
Hall  of  Stephen  Atwood  of  Connecticut,  and  the  other  portions  of  said  sheep  were  raised  by  me  and 
are  precisely  the  same  in  pedigree  as  those  purchased  of  Mr.  Atwood.  As  I  bred  them  pure  from 
said  Atwood  sheep,  I  will  here  insert  a  certificate  which  I  obtained  of  Mr.  Atwood  and  reads  as 
follows: 


184 


MERINOS. 


'"Woodbury,  Litchfield,  Co.,  Conn.,  Jan.  27th,  1844. 

"'This  may  certify  that  Edwin  Hammond  and  R.  P.  Hall  of  Addison  Co.,  State  of  Vermont, 
have  this  day  purchased  of  me  three  full-blood  Merino  bucks  and  of  me  and  others,  27  full-blood 
Merino  ewes,  descendants  from  my  flock  of  the  Paular  breed,  which  originated  from  the  celebrated 
flock  imported  by  Col.  Humphreys  of  Derby,  New  Haven  County,  State  of  Connecticut. 

(Signed  by  Stephen  Atwood.) 

'  Edwin  Hammond.' 

"(These  certificates  were  published  in  the  Country  G^w/ZewrtM  of  Aug  24th,  1865 ;  the  original, 
given  by  Mr.  Hammond,  was  carried  to  the  Country  Gentleman  oflice  by  a  deputation  of  Vermont 
breeders  of  whom  the  venerable  S.  S.  Rockwell,  West  Cornwall,  was  chairman.) 

"Other  Paular  Blood. — Consul  Jarvis,  hitherto  mentioned,  sent  out  from  Spain  1400  sheep 
of  this  breed.  His  flock  which  he  established  at  Wethersfield,  Vermont,  and  bred  in  separate  and 
distinct  blood  lines  for  several  years  and  subsequently  mixed  all  together  in  breeding,  was  originally 
composed  of  about  one-half  Paulars,  one  quarter  Aquierres,  and  the  other  fourth  Escurials,  Negrettis, 
and  Montarcos. 

"Andrew  Cocks,  Flushing,  Long  Island,  purchased  800  head  of  sheep  from  the  different  cargoes 


PURE-BRED  PAULAR  MERINO  RAM. 

Property  of  J  no.  P.  Kay,  Hemlock  Lake,  X.  V. 
sent  in,  and  history  and  tradition  sustain  the  fact  that  his  purchases  consisted  of  Paulars  which  he  selected 
with  great  care.  He  bred  the  flock  pure  down  to  1823,  when  it  was  sold  to  Jehiel  Beedle,  on  account 
of  Leonard  Beedle  and  Hon.  Charles  Rich  of  Shoreham,  Vermont.  At  the  time  of  the  sale  to  the 
Vermont  parties,  it  is  claimed  that  some  of  the  imported  sheep  were  still  in  the  flock,  and  carried  the 
original  Spanish  ear-marks.  It  would  occupy  too  much  space  to  reproduce  the  certificates  given  by 
Effingham  Lawrence,  John  T.  Rich,  F.  H.  Jennison,  Charles  A.  Hurlbut,  Jaspar  Barnum  and  Levi 
Rockwood,  all  going  to  show  that  the  Cocks  flock  were  of  the  Paular  family,  and  were  certified  to  be 
such  in  the  Bill  of  Sale  given  by  Cocks  to  Beedle.  We  refer  the  reader  to  Moore's  Rural  Nexv 
Torker  of  August  5th,  1865,  where  the  certificates  may  be  found. 

"The  Rich  branch  of  the  Cocks  sheep  was  bred  for  several  years  in  the  Cocks  blood-lines,  then 
it  was  crossed  to  a  ram  bred  by  Consul  Jarvis,  and  later  still  with  the  blood  of  Stephen  Atwood's 


MERINOS.  185 

flock.  From  this  flock  was  descended  the  celebrated  flock  of  V.  Rich,  Richville,  Vt.,  and  the  flocks 
of  the  late  Tjler  Slicknev  and  Erastus  Robinson,  Shoreham,  Vt.— the  blood  of  which  is  now  widely 
dispersed  throughout  the  country. 

"About  1810,  David  and  German  Cutting  purchased  about  80  ewes  and  2  rams  that  were  bred 
by,  or  descended  from,  the  flocks  of  David  Buffum,  Rense  Potter,  David  I.  Bailey  and  Geo.  Irish  of 
Newport,  Rhode  Island.  It  is  claimed  that  these  sheep  were  descended  from  the  importations  of 
Paul  Cuffe  and  Richard  Crowineshield  and  were  without  doubt  consignments  of  Consul  Jarvis. 
Messrs.  Cutting  bred  these  sheep  to  rams  of  Robinson  and  Rich  and  Atwood  blood,  and  wherever 
this  blood  has  found  its  way  it  has  been  crossed  without  reference  to  maintaining  the  original  Rhode 
Island  strains — hence  but  a  small  fraction  of  that  blood  remains  in  the  Cutting  blood-lines  wherever 
found. 

"In  1844,  Jacob  N.  Blakeslee  of  Watertown,  Conn  ,  wrote  a  letter  for  publication  in  the  C«//;- 
vator,  published  at  Albany,  N.  Y.,  in  which  he  claimed  his  sheep  to  be  of  Negretti,  Montarco  and 
Escurial  blood. 

"  It  may  be  assumed  that  our  improved  American  Merino  flocks  are,  substantially,  if  not  wholly, 
descended  from  the  foregoing  named  blood-lines,  with  the  Blakeslee  blood,  at  most,  in  a  very  limited 
degree.  For  more  than  40  years  a  class  of  our  breeders  have  claimed  a  family  of  sheep  descended 
purely  from  the  flocks  of  the  Atwoods  of  Connecticut,  and  have  claimed  a  distinction  in  title  and 
breeding.  In  view  of  this  circumstance,  and  the  fact  that  all  other  pure-bred  Merinos  partake  largely 
of  the  Paular  blood,  they  have  been  very  generally  alluded  to  as  '  Improved  Paulars,'  '  Mixed  Paulars,' 
and  'American  Paulars,'  which  last  name  or  title,  I  hope,  will  be  generally  adopted. 

"The  most  successful  breeders  of  these  sheep  have  aimed  to  secure  type  and  quality  in  their 
flocks,  and  have  placed  this  above  any  special  line  of  descent  from  importation,  or  from  any  one  of 
the  earlier  flocks.  In  pursuing  their  course  of  breeding  they  have  made  use  of  the  best  specimens  of 
the  breed,  and  as  a  rule  have  avoided  too  close  in-and-in  breeding,  and  have  achieved  results  unat- 
tained  elsewhere  when  measured  by  high,  sure  weight  of  carcass,  or  weight  of  fleece — either  gross  or 
scoured.  The  aim  has  been  to  produce  a  well  formed  and  symmetrical  animal,  of  constitutional 
vigor,  carrying  a  dense,  oily  fleece  of  good  quality  throughout.  Folds  or  wrinkles  have  been  culti- 
vated in  a  marked  degree,  and  an  amount  of  oil  secured  in  the  fleece  that  many  have  thought  to  be 
extravagant  in  the  extreme ;  yet  sheep  of  this  class  have  made  great  improvement  on  the  common 
wool-growing  flocks — the  wrinkles  contributing  toward  density  of  fleece  and  covering,  and  the  oil 
proving  interchangeable  with  wool  product. 

"The  accompanying  Scale  of  Points  will  enable  one  to  understand  the  points  of  excellence 
esteemed  by  breeders.  A  ram  takes  standard  rank  by  making  a  score  of  75  points,  and  a  record  at 
public  shearing  of  25  lbs.  fleece  and  110  lbs.  carcass. 

"SCALE    OF    POINTS    FOR    STOCK    RAM: 

"  Bone 5 

Physical  development  and  general  appearance 10 

Head  broad,  nose  wrinkly  and  face  covered  with  soft  velvety  coat 5 

Neck,  short,  broad,  muscular,  well  set  on  shoulders 5 

Shoulder,  massive  as  to  depth  and  breadth 5 

Back,  level,  straight — Ribs,  rotund 5 

Hips,  broad  and  long   5 

Fore-legs,  straight,  well  set  apart 3 

Hind-legs,  straight  and  set  so  as  to  give  a  perpendicular  appearance  to  hind  parts 5 

Ear,  soft,  thick  and  velvety 2 

Color  of  nose,  ears  and  hoofs,  pure  white 5 

Wrinkles  on  neck  heavy,  pendulous  5 

Wrinkles  across  arm  and  point  of  shoulder  on  side  and  running  well  under 5 

Tail,  hip  folds  and  flank 5 

Density  of  fleece  on  neck 3 

"        "        "       "   back 3 

For'.vard 76 


186  MERINOS. 

Forward "" 

Density  of  fleece  on  side 3 

"         "        "       "    hip  and  extending  to  flank 3 

"       "    belly 3 

'  Crown  of  head  or  cap 3 

Cheek 2 

Fore-leg 2 

Arm-pits * 

Covering.   ^  Hind-leg 2 

Inside  of  flank 3 

Connection  between  tag  wool  and  belly 1 

Fibre  to  indicate,  as  'fine,'  'medium'  and  'coarse.' 

Oil,  as  'buff'    and  'white.'  

Perfection 100  " 

The  illustration  represents  the  ram  "Prince  Bismark,"  a  famous  prize  winner  of 
the  Paular  family,  that  was  never  beaten  in  the  show  ring.  In  full  fleece  he  weighed 
200  lbs.,  and  yielded  a  fleece,  of  one  year's  growth,  of  35  lbs.  9^^  oz. 

The  Dickinsons : 
Concerning  the  origin  of  this  strain  of  Merino  blood,  we  may  say:  Mr.  Thos. 
Rotch  purchased  from  Col.  Humphreys  (Derby,  Connecticut)  some  of  the  latter's 
pure-bred  Spanish  Merinos,  imported  in  1802,  and  took  them  to  Stark  County,  Ohio, 
about  the  year  1810.  W.  R.  Dickinson — from  whom  the  family  takes  its  name — 
lived  at  Steubenville,  Ohio,  but  had  large  landed  possessions  in  Stark  County,  and 
soon  secured  the  entire  flock  of  pure-bred  Merinos  as  his  own.  The  sheep  were  bred 
with  scrupulous  care  as  to  purity  of  blood,  and  under  Mr.  Dickinson's  skillful  manage- 
ment soon  reached  a  high  state  of  improvement.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Dickinson 
(1831)  Adam  Heldenbrand  became  the  owner  of  all  the  pure-bred  Humphreys  sheep 
which  Mr.  Dickinson  had  bred,  and  from  him  was  secured  the  nucleus  which  formed 
the  flock  of  James  McDowell. 

As  we  shall  mention  under  the  next  topic  an  apparent  conflict  of  statements 
between  breeders  of  Dickinsons  and  Black  Tops,  it  may  be  well  to  make  the  follow- 
ing extract  from  a  published  letter,  written  by  James  McDowell  in  1884,  in  which 
Dickinson  breeders  find  their  authority  to  deny  a  Humphreys  origin  for  the  Black  Top 
sheep;  the  last  statement  is  the  one  referred  to: 

"  W.  R.  Dickinson,  of  Steubenville,  Jefferson  Co.,  O.,  in  the  early  part  of  this  century,  com- 
menced the  breeding  of  a  small  flock  of  pure  Merino  sheep  that  were  imported  from  Spain  in  the 
year  1802,  by  Col.  David  Humphreys  of  Derby,  New  Haven  County,  Connecticut.  These  he 
secured  through  the  agency  of  Thomas  Rotch,  an  eminent  and  enterprising  citizen  of  Connecticut, 
who  migrated  from  that  State  to  Stark  County,  O.,  in  the  early  part  of  this  century,  bringing  with 
him  the  first  large  flock  of  Spanish  Merinos  into  Ohio. 

"These  sheep  were  bought  direct  of  Col.  Humphreys,  which  was  learned  by  my  personal 
acquaintance  with  Mr.  Dickinson,  Thomas  Rotch  and  his  shepherd,  John  Hall,  who  brought  the 
sheep  from  Connecticut  to  Ohio. 

"The  sheep  which  Mr.  Dickinson  secured  were  kept  at  Steubenville,  O.,  for  a  few  years,  and 
were  the  origin  of  his  entirely  pure-bred  Merinos,  descended  directly  from  sheep  imported  by  Col. 
Humphreys  from  Spain  in  1802. 

"These  were  distinctly  marked,  and  separately  kept.  Mr.  Dickinson  stated  in  the  latter  years  of 
his  life  that  he  never  sold  any  of  the  ewes  descended  from  his  own  pure-bred  flock,  his  sales  being  of 
ewes  purchased  throughout  the  country— a  grade  of  well-bred  Merino  flocks  or  those  descended 
therefrom,  in  which  he  dealt  extensively." 


187 


188  MERINOS. 

Dickinson  Merinos,  eligible  to  entry  in  the  Dickinson  Merino  Sheep  Record, 
must  trace  their  descent  to  the  standard  bred  flock  of  James  McDowell,  Canton,  Stark 
Co.,  Ohio  (without  admixture  of  impure  blood),  which  flock,  as  we  have  already  men- 
tioned, was  directly  descended  from  the  Humphreys  importation  of  1802,  through  the 
famous  flock  of  W.  R.  Dickinson. 

The  following,  adopted  by  the  Association,  may  be  accepted  as  a  standard 

description: 

"  Body  deep,  round,  wide  and  long,  showing  mutton  capacity,  good  feeding  and  tliriving  qualities, 
heavy,  thick  flesh,  straight  under  and  top  lines,  well  proportioned,  filling  every  part  of  its  skin  when 
fully  matured.  Skin  thick,  soft,  not  raised  in  corrugations,  pink  red.  Head  small,  carried  high. 
Quiet,  placid  eye.  Nose  white,  not  mottled,  covered  with  fine  soft  white  hair,  wide  and  slightly  arched. 
Ears  short,  thick,  covered  with  fine,  glossy  hair.  Horns  small,  neatly  curved,  light  yellow  color; 
better  without  any  horns.  Neck  short,  arched  in  under  and  on  top,  the  base  very  strong.  Shoulders 
wide,  deep,  rounded,  breast  bone  projecting  forward  of  front  limb.  Back  straight,  wide,  ribs  extending 
out  horizontal  from  spinal  column,  rounding  in  line  with  shoulders,  extending  close  back  to  hips. 
Loins  strong,  wide.  Hips  wide,  long.  Thighs  wide,  thick  flesh  extending  close  down  to  hock  joints. 
Limbs  short,  bone  heavy,  joints  smooth  and  flat,  the  contour  of,  to  show  perpendicular  lines  from 
elbow  and  stifle  joints  to  center  of  hoofs,  and  from  base  of  tail  to  center  of  a  straight  line  drawn 
horizontally  from  caps  of  hock  joints,  when  standing  erect  on  limbs.  Hoofs  deep,  thin,  white;  texture 
tough  and  elastic.  Fleece  smooth,  even,  dense,  soft  to  the  touch.  Staple  three  to  five  inches,  fibres 
glossy,  crimped.  Quality  XX,  XXX  or  above,  fine.  Quantity,  Rams  15  to  25  lbs.,  ewes  10  to  15  lbs., 
unwashed  wool,  covering  entire  body  with  even  length  and  grade,  except  parts  injuring  thrift  and 
comfort  of  sheep,  entirely  free  from  gum  and  hair.  Oil  very  fluid,  white  or  nearly  so,  enough  to 
preserve  the  wool  and  rising  to  outer  ends  of  fibres.  Size  of  full  grown  rams  200  lbs.,  and  ewes  150 
lbs.     Internal  organs  strong.     Mature  early,  2>^  years." 

The  following  Scale  of  Points — also  adopted  by  the  Association — should  be  used 
in  connection  with  above  description : 

Skin 4  Forward 49 

Head 4      Hoofs 4 

Nose 3      Smoothness  of  fleece (> 

Ears 3      Staple 4 

Horns 3      Quality  of  fletce 6 

Neck 4      Quantity  of  fltece 5 

Shoulders 5      Covering 8 

Back 8      Oil 5 

Loins 3      Size  of  animal 5 

Hips 3      Internal  organs 4 

Thighs 4      Maturity 3 

Lesfs 5  — 

^  Perfection 100 

Forward 49 

Dickinson  Merinos  are  now  favorably  known  in  many  parts  of  the  United  States, 
The  Record  Association  was  organized  in  May,  1884.  Mr.  H.  G.  McDowell,  son  of 
James  McDowell,  is  the  present  active  and  efficient  Secretary. 

The  Black   Tops: 
This  family,  if  the  claims  of  its  breeders  are  correct,  furnishes  a  good  example 
of  change  wrought  by  slow,  steady  purpose  in  one  direction — the  Black-Top  Merinos 


189 


190  MERINOS. 

being  placed  before  the  public  as  lineal  descendants  of  the  Dickinsons — just  described 
— and  through  them  of  the  original  Humphreys  importation  in  1802.  Referring  to 
preceding  topic,  will  be  found  the  Dickinson  breeders'  claim,  that  W.  R.  Dickinson 
never  sold  any  of  his  Humphreys  sheep.  If  this  can  be  proven,  it  will  leave 
the  Black-Tops  with  a  broken  link  in  their  chain  of  genealogy.  We  do  not  under- 
take to  decide  the  case,  but  give  both  statements,  and  invite  the  reader  to  draw  his 
own  conclusions,  or  investigate  further  on  his  own  responsibility. 

Concerning  the  change,  or,  as  the  breeders  of  Black-Tops  have  it^improvement 
in  these  sheep  of  Dickinson  descent,  we  may  say:  In  1821,  Wm.  Berry,  of  Washington 
County,  Pa.,  purchased  a  choice  ram  and  a  number  of  ewes  from  W.  R.  Dickinson's 
flock;  and  according  to  Vol.  I  of  the  Black-Top  Register,  Mr.  Berry  was  assured 
and  satisfied  that  these  sheep  were  directly  descended  from  the  original  Humphreys'  im- 
portation made  in  1802.  Without  discussing  this  question  further,  it  is  certain  that  Mr. 
Berry  strictly  carried  out  his  purpose  to  breed  within  the  flock  and  make  all  imj^rove- 
ment  by  selection  and  care.  In  1847  he  rented  his  farm  and  sold  his  flock  to  his  two 
sons — William  and  Matthew — himself  moving  to  Canonsburg,  Pa.,  where  he  remained 
until  his  death,  Dec.  26th,  1866.  In  the  experience  of  both  Mr.  Berry  and  his  sons, 
it  was  noticed  that  the  sheep  with  darkest  "tojDs"  were  the  largest  and  made  the 
best  records  in  sheai'ing.  They  also  found  that  the  darker  sheep  were  more  hardy, 
and  better  able  to  endure  the  rough  winter  weather  of  that  latitude  than  were  those 
of  lighter  cast.  It  is  believed  that  Mr.  Berry  was  the  first  to  apply  the  name  "Black- 
Tops,"  and  that  he  did  so  to  distinguish  them  from  the  light  colored,  delicate  Saxon 
Merinos,  which,  for  a  time,  were  bred  in  the  vicinity. 

By  permission  of  the  Secretary,  W.  G.  Berry,  of  Houstonville,  Pa.,  we  make  the 
following  authoritative  extracts  from  Vol.  I  of  the  Black-Top  Spanish  Merino  Sheep 
Register. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

"  Constitution,  indicated  by  physical  development;  deep  and  large  in  the  breast  and  through  the 
heart;  broad  back:  very  heavy  square  quarters;  skin  of  fine  texture,  and  pinkish  in  color;  expansive 
nostril;  brilliant  eye;  healthful  countenance;  and  good  feeders. 

"  In  good  condition,  with  fleece  of  five  months  growth,  full  grown  rams  should  weigh  not  less  than 
175  pounds,  and  ewes  not  less  than  125  pounds. 

"  Head  carried  well  up;  standing  squarely  on  feet  and  legs;  well  rounded  body,  showing  in  all 
points  symmetry  of  form ;  body  throughout  heavy  boned,  well  proportioned  in  length ;  smooth  joints, 
ribs  starting  horizontally  from  the  back  bone,  and  well  around  to  breast  bone;  breast  bone,  wide, 
strong  and  prominent  in  front;  strong,  straight,  and  heavy  back  bone;  heavy,  muscular  quarters; 
shoulders  broad  and  flat;  muscles  firm  and  heavy,  and  body  entirely  free  from  folds.  There  may  be 
a  slight  throatiness,  and  a  small  dewlap — smaller  on  the  ewes  than  on  the  rams. 

"  The  head  should  be  wide,  with  clear  bright  eyes  and  prominent  ears.  Ewes  should  give  no 
appearance  of  horns,  while  upon  the  rams,  the  horns  should  be  well  developed,  clear  in  color,  and 
symmetrically  curved. 

"  Neck  very  heavy,  especially  with  the  rams,  deepening  towards  the  shoulder.  Legs  medium  in 
length,  set  well  apart,  with  well  shaped,  medium  sized  feet.  The  body  and  legs  to  the  knees,  covered 
with  medium  or  fine  wool,  extending  well  forward  between  the  eyes.  Fleece  should  be  compact,  but 
should  open  freely — showing  a  length  (at  twelve  months  growth)  of  not  less  than  three  inches,  and 
the  oil  (yolk)  must  be  white,  flowing  freely  from  skin  to  surface,  and  form  on  the  exterior  a  uniform 
dark  coating." 


MERIXOS.  191 

The  following  iitandaid  Scale  of  Points  should  be  used  in  connection  with  the 
above : 

"  Constitution 15  Forward 6-t 

Size 12  Covering 8 

General  appearance 3  Quality  of  fleece 7 

Body 15  Density  of  fleece 7 

Head 5  Length  of  staple 8 

Neck 4  Oil 6 

Legs  and  feet 10  

Perfection 100" 

Forward 64 

The  Delaines: 

The  origin  of  this  family  is  of  recent  date,  and  has  grown  out  of  a  continued 
and  steady  demand  for  what  is  known  as  Delaine  wools.  Just  what  constitutes  De- 
laine wool  is  rather  hard  to  define,  but  the  process  of  manufacture  requires  combing 
instead  of  caixling — the  fibres  being  laid  parallel  with  each  other,  and  spun  at  full 
length  in  the  yarn.  To  Mr.  E.  R.  Mudge,  of  Boston,  Mass. — now  deceased — belongs 
most  of  the  credit  for  founding  this  branch  of  textile  industry,  and  to  the  breeders 
who  aimed  to  supply  the  demand  thus  created  we  turn  to  find  the  origin  of  the 
Delaine  Merino  Sheep.  It  is  claimed  that  no  deep  inbreeding  has  been  practiced, 
and  that  the  sheep  are,  therefore,  free  from  all  taint  of  weakness  so  frequently  traced 
to  incestuous  breeding.  On  the  other  hand  it  is  stated,  that  nothing  but  the  p\n-est 
Merino  blood  has  ever  been  introduced,  and  to  explain  the  seeming  contradiction,  we 
may  say  in  brief,  that  the  Delaine  Merino  has  been  produced  by  a  careful  system  of 
crossing  the  pure  Spanish  with  the  American  Black-Top  Merino.  The  original  .Span- 
ish foundation  for  the  Delaines  was  largely  made  up  of  sheep  descended  from  an 
importation  made  in  1820,  by  Richard  W.  Meade — at  that  time  Minister  to  Spain. 
These  sheep  were  first  stationed  near  Philadelphia,  but  were  afterwards  sent  to  Wash- 
ington County,  Pa.,  where  their  choicest  descendants  have  since  been  bred. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

The  fleece  presents  a  uniformly  smooth  surface,  dark  on  the  outer  end  of  wool, 
but  a  "black-top" — caused  by  excess  or  sticky  character  of  yolk,  and  consequent 
clogging  up  with  dirt  to  form  an  outer  crust — is  considered  a  great  objection.  The 
natural  oil  or  yolk  should  be  freely  liquid,  not  gummy,  showing  an  even  white 
color,  and  rising  to  the  top  of  the  dense,  fine  covering.  The  staple  (fibre)  is  of  good 
length,  averaging  from  two  and  a-half  to  three  inches  in  wool  of  one  year's  growth, 
covering  the  body  and  legs  to  the  knees.  The  animal  is  of  good  size,  mature  rams 
weighing  about  150  pounds,  and  ewes  about  100  pounds— with  a  vigorous  constitu- 
tion and  a  carcass  for  mutton,  which,  in  a  fine  wool  sheep,  is  surprising.  To  illustrate 
their  mutton  capacity,  we  clip  the  following  from  the  issue  of  April,  1884,  National 
Stockman^  published  at  East  Liberty,  Pa.: 

«  Among  the  sheep  sold  here  this  week,  there  was  a  car-load  of  fine  wool  wethers,  something 
under  three  vears  old,  averaging  114;^  pounds.  They  were  of  the  Delaine  Merino  family,  were 
raised  and  fed  by  James  McClelland,  of  Canonsburg,  Pa.,  and  brought  seven  cents  per  pound,  a  price 
which  shows  that  they  found  high  favor  among  the  butchers." 


192 


MERIXOS HORNED     DORSETS.  193 

« 

The  following  Scale  of  Points,  condensed  from  the  National  Delaine  Merino 
Register,  has  been  adopted  by  the  Association,  and  is  now  in  use  by  its  members : 

Constitution K)  Forward 54 

Heavy  round  heart 6      Foot 1() 

Neck 0      Length  of  staple 8 

Dewlap 5      Density  of  fleece 8 

Back 8      Darkish  cast  on  top 5 

Ribs 5      Opening  up  white 5 

Legs 0      Good  flow  of  white  oil 5 

Bone 8      Good  crimp   in  staple 5 

Forward 54  Perfection 100 

The  Delaines,  as  well  as  the  Black-Tops  and  Dickinsons  (see  illustrations),  are 
smooth,  no  folds,  only  a  fulness  at  the  throat  being  permitted.  Their  breeders  make 
no  pretense  of  "line-pure"  descent  from  a  single  sheep  or  a  single  flock,  but  on  the 
contrary,  are  rather  proud  of  having  secured  in  combination,  the  blood  of  the  best  (in 
their  judgment)  flocks  in  America  and  Spain. 


CHAPTER   XLIV. 


HORNED    DORSETS. 

As  far  back  as  we  have  any  record  this  breed  of  sheep  has  existed  in  the  shire  of 
Dorset,  England.  From  the  fact  that  the  old  Dorset  resembled  the  old  Spanish 
Merino,  it  has  been  thought  that  the  former  may  have  descended  from  the  latter;  the 
resemblance,  however,  was  only  in  form  and  external  appearance — the  properties  of 
the  two  breeds  being  entirely  different.  In  this  connection  we  quote  Professor  Low 
(1842): 

"  While  the  Merinos  are  bad  nurses  the  Dorsets  are  the  most  productive  of  milk  of  any  of  our 
races  of  sheep.  In  the  broad  loins  of  this  race,  we  have  the  same  external  character  which,  in  the 
case  of  the  cow,  indicates  the  faculty  of  yielding  abundant  milk.  The  remarkable  fecundity  of  these 
sheep  has  given  rise  to  the  supposition  that  they  are  derived  from  some  warmer  country  where  the 
females  bring  forth  twice  in  the  year.  We  have,  however,  no  evidence  of  this  fact,  and  may  accord- 
ingly believe  that  the  property  is  one  which  is  due  to  situation,  although  the  peculiar  circumstances, 
whether  of  climate  or  food,  which  gave  rise  to  it  may  escape  our  observation." 

The  breed  is  not  well  known  in  America,  but  there  are  several  breeders  of  con- 
siderable prominence,  both  in  the  United  States  and  Canada;  and,  during  the  last  five 
or  six  years,  they  have  pushed  forward  the  Dorsets  with  great  success.  We  do  not 
know  of  any  Dorsets  in  the  South,  but  see  no  reason  why  they  would  not  prove  of 
value,  especially  in  the  higher  portions  of  the  Texas  "Panhandle"  region. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color  of  face  and  legs,  white;  head  fine,  rather  long,  and  supplied  with  horns  in 


194 


IIORXED    DORSETS. 


HORXED    DORSETS — CHEVIOTS.  195 

both  male  and  female;  nose  and  lips,  black.  The  shoulders  are  low  but  broad;  chest 
deep  with  low  brisket;  back  straight,  and  loins  unusually  broad  and  strong.  The  bone 
is  light,  and  the  legs  rather  long,  but  the  general  make  up  indicates  good  breeding  and 
hardiness.  In  size  they  are  above  medium — fat  two-year-old  wethers  reaching  as  high 
as  230  to  250  lbs.,  and  mature  breeding  rams  weighing  175  to  200  lbs.  The  fleece  is 
short,  of  above  medium  fineness,  and  high-class  flocks  yield  an  average  clip  of  six  to 
eight  pounds.  The  peculiar  characteristics  which  distinguish  the  Dorsets  from  all 
other  sheep  are  their  early  and  prolific  breeding,  rapidity  of  fattening  and  early 
maturity.  They  surpass  all  other  breeds  in  general  fecundity — as  a  rule  breeding 
twice  a  year,  and  frequently  bearing  twins  and  triplets.  For  the  production  of  early 
market  lambs  no  sheep  can  rival  them,  unless  it  be  the  cross-bred  produce  of  South- 
down rams  on  Dorset  ewes,  which  have  been  most  popular  with  English  breeders. 

The   illustration   represents  a  group  from  jMr.  Fuller's  excellent  flock,  Hamilton, 
Ontario,  Canada. 


CHAPTER    XLV. 


CHEVIOTS. 

The  Cheviot  breed  of  sheep  had  its  origin  in  the  Cheviot  hills  or  mountains, 
situated  in  the  north  of  England  and  extending  into  Scotland.  The  hills  are  mostly 
conical,  and  are  separated  by  very  narrow  valleys.  On  one  side  of  the  range  of  moun- 
tains lies  the  "heather"  country,  the  home  of  the  old  Black  Faced  Heath  Breed — and 
on  the  other  is  a  rich  cultivated  tract. 

This  district,  according  to  Low,  "  has  produced  from  time  immemorial  a  race  of 
sheep  entirely  distinct  in  its  characters  from  the  wild  heath  breed  of  the  elevated  moors 
adjoining." 

There  is  a  fanciful  sort  of  tradition  to  the  effect  that  at  the  time  of  the  attempted 
invasion  by  the  Spanish  Armada  (1588),  and  the  consequent  wreck  of  the  formidable 
fleet  upon  the  stormy  British  coast,  some  of  the  sheep,  with  which  the  ships  were  pro- 
vided, swam  ashore  and  escaped  to  the  Cheviot  Hills  where  they  have  since  bred  and 
multiplied. 

Cheviot  sheep  have  gradually  extended  over  the  entire  mountainous  portion  of 
Scotland;  and,  during  the  past  century,  have  been  greatly  improved  by  a  class  of 
breeders  second  to  none  in  the  world. 

They  were  imported  to  America  about  1840,  but  have  been  in  only  a  few  locali- 
ties— mainly  in  the  State  of  New  York — and  are  still  comparatively  unknown. 

We  are  not  aware  that  any  Cheviot  sheep  can  be  found  in  the  Gulf  States  at 
present  writing;  nor  is  it  probable  that  they  will  ever  be  extensively  introduced. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color  of  face  and  legs,  white— rarely  tinted  or  speckled;  the  head  is  of  good 
size,  strictly  hornless;  face  broad,  and  especially  full  at  forehead;  ears  wide  apart  and 


196 


CHEVIOTS. 


"AW' 

W^^J^^^J 

^    \    , 

jC'^? 

'"1 

^^^^^^"^'^ 


CHEVIOTS SOUTIIDOWNS.  197 

of  good  size;  eyes  prominent  and  lively — all  combining  to  make  up  a  peculiarly  intel- 
ligent, strong-featured  expression,  well  suited  to  an  independent  mountain  breed.  The 
shoulders  are  rather  light,  as  in  all  mountain  breeds  of  sheep;  but  the  body  is  long, 
deep,  and  remarkably  well  filled  at  the  loin  and  quarters.  The  fleece  is  short  and  of 
medium  fineness,  and  makes  up  the  great  bulk  of  the  genuine  Scotch  tweeds  and 
Cheviot  cloths. 

As  compared  with  other  breeds  in  respect  to  fleece  they  do  not  show  to  advan- 
tage, since  their  wool  is  too  coarse  for  carding  and  too  short  for  combing;  and  high- 
class  flocks  yield  an  annual  clip  of  not  over  three  to  five  pounds  per  head. 

In  size  the  Cheviots  rank  as  medium;  two  year  old  wethers  can  be  made  to  weigh 
180  to  200  lbs.,  and  breeding  rams  at  maturity  should  scale  about  175  lbs.  They 
fatten  quickly  on  root-crops,  after  pasture,  without  grain.  The  ewes  are  good 
mothers,  although  not  so  prolific  as  some  other  breeds,  and  the  lambs  very  hardy. 

For  western  and  northern  ranges,  especially  those  in  the  mountainous  regions  of 
Montana,  Idaho  and  Wyoming,  the  Cheviot  would  prove  an  excellent  breed. 

The  pure  bloods  are,  perhaps,  not  so  valuable,  but  they  furnish  an  admirable 
basis  for  crossing  with  Cotswold  and  Leicester  rams,  increasing  thereby,  length  of 
staple  and  size  of  carcass,  while  retaining  the  hardy  mountain  instincts  of  the  Cheviot 
race. 


CHAPTER     XLVI. 


SOUTHDOWNS. 

The  Southdown  heads  the  list  of  middle-wool  mutton  sheep;  both  from  its 
acknowledged  superiority,  and  from  the  fact  that  nearly,  if  not  quite,  all  of  the  other 
"Downs"  are  indebted  to  it  for  much  of  their  present  excellence.  The  breed  takes 
its  name  from  the  slopes  of  the  Chalk  Hills  of  England,  called  "Downs." 

Referring  to  this  place  of  their  origin,  Professor  Low  (1842)  says: 

"The  Scotch  Downs  of  Sussex  consist  of  a  range  of  low  chalky  hills,  are  five  or  six  miles  in 
breadth,  stretching  along  the  coast  upwards  of  sixty  miles,  and  passing  into  the  chalky  lands  of  Hants 
on  the  west.  In  contact  with  this  range  of  hills  is  a  tract  of  low  cultivated  ground,  which  is  usually 
connected  with  the  Down  farms,  although  many  of  the  latter  have  no  vale  or  flat  land  attached.  The 
herbage  of  these  hills  is  short,  but  well  adapted  for  the  keeping  of  sheep,  of  which  vast  numbers 
have,  in  every  known  period,  occupied  the  pastures.  Whilst  the  dryness  of  the  air,  the  moderate 
elevation  of  the  land,  and  consequent  mildness  of  the  climate,  are  all  eminently  favorable  to  the 
rearing  of  a  race  of  Downs  or  mountain  sheep,  the  contact  of  the  cultivated  country  affords  the 
means  of  supplying  artificial  food.  It  is  this  combination  of  favorable  circumstances  which  has 
rendered  these  calcareous  hills  capable  of  supporting  a  greater  number  of  sheep  than,  perhaps,  any 
tract  of  similar  fertility  in  the  country,  and  has  afforded  the  means  to  the  breeders  of  applying  the 
resources  of  artificial  feeding  to  their  improvement. 

"The  original  breed  of  the  Sussex  Downs  was  not  superior  to  that  of  many  other  districts  of 
the  chalk  formation;  but  the  means  of  supplying  the  animal  with  artificial  food,  which  the  geograph- 
ical situation  of  this  long  and  narrow  chain  of  hills  in  contact  with  the  richer  country  afforded,  aided 


198  SOUTHDOWXS. 

the  breeder  in  applying  to  the  improvement  of  the  race  a  system  of  breeding  and  feeding  which  has 
rendered  the  Southdown  breed  the  most  esteemed  in  the  countries  suited  to  it,  of  all  the  short-wooled 
sheep  of  England." 

From  this  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Southdown  was  a  natural  outgrowth  of  circum- 
stances and  really  "native"  to  the  locality  from  which  it  takes  its  name. 

Improvement  of  the  breed  began  about  1775-80,  but  received  its  greatest  impulse 
about  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  since  which  time  it  has  been  constantly 
active  and  progressive. 

To  Mr.  John  Ellman  of  the  Glynde  farm  near  Lewis,  in  Sussexshire,  is  univer- 
sally accorded  first  place  among  the  improvers  of  Southdowns. 

He  began  about  1780  and  devoted  the  remainder  of  his  life — some  52  years — to 
careful,  unselfish  work  in  advancing  his  favorite  breed  of  sheep. 

While  Mr.  Bake  well  was  fully  his  equal  in  point  of  skill  as  a  breeder,  perhaps 
his  superior,  he  was  inclined  to  keep  his  methods  closely  concealed,  incurring  thereby 
a  rather  general  disfavor.  Mr.  Ellman,  on  the  other  hand,  freely  communicated  the 
results  of  his  experiments,  and  showed  himself  to  be  entirely  free  from  all  illiberal 
prejudice.  His  aim  was  to  produce  a  sheep  which  should  combine  the  points  most 
desirable,  in  his  judgment,  for  the  locality  in  which  he  lived;  and  with  him  it  was — first, 
health  and  constitution;  second,  fixedness  of  type.  He,  therefore,  did  not  in-breed  so 
closely  as  did  Bake  well,  but  purchased  freely  from  his  contemporaries  in  order  to 
infuse  fresh  blood  and  retain  the  vigor  of  his  flock. 

Since  Mr.  Ellman's  death  (18B2),  there  have  been  many  careful  breeders  to 
carry  forward  the  work,  and  keep  up  the  popularity  and  excellence  of  the  Southdown 
breed,  among  them  Mr.  Jonas  Webb,  of  Suffolk,  who  may  be  called  his  immediate 
successor. 

The  Southdown,  next  to  the  Merino,  is  the  most  widely  known  of  all  the  breeds 
of  sheep  at  present  in  the  United  States;  and  in  the  Western  and  Middle  States  finds 
its  greatest  popularity. 

In  the  South  the  Merino  has  the  preference,  but  many  Southdowns  are  being 
shipped  in  for  use  in  grading  up  on  flocks  of  Merino  basis,  and  are  reported  to  accli- 
mate readily  and  produce  a  desirable  grade. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color  of  face  and  legs  a  uniform  tint  of  brown,  gray  or  mouse  (formerly  speckled 
faces  were  admitted,  but  later  breeders  aim  to  exclude  all  except  the  colors  mentioned)  ; 
head  medium  in  size,  hornless,  forehead  and  cheeks  well  covered  with  wool;  ears 
rather  small,  wfide  aparl:  and  lively;  eyes  bright  and  full;  neck  short,  fine  at  head,  but 
well  set  on  to  broad  full  shoulders.  The  chest  is  wide  and  deep;  back  and  loin  broad; 
ribs  well  arched;  hips  wide  and  close  to  floating  ribs;  thigh  fleshed  low  down,  and 
legs  fine-boned,  short,  and  wooled  to  knee  and  hock.  The  belly  is  straight  and  well 
covered  with  wool ;  general  appearance  smooth — with  no  trace  of  coarseness — spirited 
and  attractive. 

The  fleece  is  white,  compact,  moderately  long  and  close,  and  carrying  some  yolk. 
They  are  fair,  not  heavy,  shearers — running  some  four  to  six  or  seven  pounds  per 
fleece  in  high-class  flocks;  but  their  mutton  is  unexcelled,  and  has  always  commanded 
the  top  of  the  English  market. 


SOUTHDOWNS. 


199 


200  SOUTHDOWNS SHROPSHIRES. 

The  ewes  are  prolific,  make  excellent  mothers,  and  their  lambs  are  uniformly 
hardy  and  vigorous. 

In  size  they  are  above  medium — two  year  old  fat  wethers  weighing  as  high  as 
200  to  225  lbs.,  and  mature  breeding  rams  about  170  to  1,90  lbs. 

Where  a  sheep  is  wanted  to  produce  mutton  as  a  prime  object,  with  wool  as  a 
secondary,  but  if  possible  paying  accompaniment,  we  know  of  no  breed  which  more 
completely  fills  the  requirements  than  this. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points — to  be  used  with  description — for  judging  at  fairs, 
is  clipped  from  the  American  Southdown  Record,  Mr.  S.  E.  Prather  of  Springfield, 
111.,  Secretary : 

Head 5  Forward 47 

Lips •  •      1     Hips 6 

Ears 2     Thighs 6 

Eyes 3     Legs 3 

Face 3     Fore  Legs 2 

Neck 4     Hind  Legs 2 

Shoulders 5     Belly 5 

Breast 5     Fleece  . . ; 12 

Back  and  Loin 7     Form 0 

Ribs 6     General  appearance 8 

Rump 6  — 

—  Perfection 100 

Forward 47 

The  illustration,  of  a  group  from  Mr.  Harvey's  flock,  faii-ly  represents  the  breed 
in  all  particulars. 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 


SHROPSHIRES. 

This  breed — long  and  favorably  known  in  England — is,  in  America,  compara- 
tively new.  The  first  importation  of  any  note  was  made  in  1855,  Virginia  claiming 
the  honor,  but  it  is  only  within  the  last  eight  or  ten  years  that  Shropshire  Sheep  have 
attracted  any  marked  attention  from  breeders  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic. 

The  origin  of  the  breed  may  be  traced  almost  directly  to  the  polled  sheep  of 
Cannock  Heath,  and  the  old  black,  or  spotted  faced  breed  of  Morfe  Common.  In 
Volume  XVI,  Journal  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society,  there  is  given  this  fragment 
of  a  report  from  the  Bristol  Wool  Society  (1792)  regarding  the  breed  last  referred  to: 

"On  Morfe  Common,  near  Bridgnorth,  there  are  about  10,000  sheep,  kept  during  the  summer 
months,  which  produce  wool  of  a  superior  quality.  They  are  considered  a  native  breed,  are  black 
faced  or  brown,  or  spotted  faced  horned  sheep,  little  subject  to  either  rot  or  scab." 


SHROPSHIRES. 


201 


202  SHROPSHIRES. 

The  sheep  of  Cannock  Heath  were  hornless  with  grayish  faces  and  legs,  and  are 
described  by  Youatt  as  attaining  great  weight.  From  these  two  hardy  native  breeds, 
the  Shropshire  has  been  gradually  improved, — whether  within  itself  or  by  further  out- 
crossing with  other  breeds  is  difficult  to  determine, — until  it  stands  at  least  the  acknowl- 
edged rival  of  any  of  our  modern  middle-wool  breeds. 

From  Volume  I,  of  the  American  Shropshire  Record,  we  quote: 

"  In  England,  the  turning  point  with  Shropshire  sheep  was  in  the  Royal  Show  Yard  at  Glouces- 
ter, in  1853,  when  their  superiority  was  recognized.  *  *  *  *  In  the  year  1859,  the  breed  was 
awarded  a  place  on  the  prize  sheet  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society,  as  a  recognized  and  distinct 
breed,  at  which  time  192  Shropshires  were  exhibited  with  marked  success." 

In  America,  they  have  not  hidden  their  light  under  a  bushel  by  any  means.  In 
1884,  at  the  Chicago  Fat  Stock  Show, 

"A  Shropshire  took  first  prize  in  the  class  between  two  and  three  years  old — competing  with 
Hampshires  and  Oxfords;  sweepstakes  for  best  sheep  any  breed  between  two  and  three  years;  grand 
sweepstakes,  as  best  sheep  any  age  and  any  breed ;  heaviest  fat  sheep  and  best  dressed  carcass." 

(From  an  address  by  J.  L.  Stone,  before  the  Pennsylvania  Board  of  Agriculture, 
June  17,  1886.) 

description: 

The  face  is  dark  grayish  or  brown,  wool  coming  well  down  to  the  eyes,  and  with 
no  trace  of  horns.  The  legs  are  darker  than  face — almost  black;  head  longer  than  in 
the  Southdown  and  ears  larger,  while  the  wool  is  close  set,  finer  and  longer  in  staple. 
In  addition  to  this  brief  outline,  we  give  place  to  the  complete  description  of  a  typical 
animal,  adopted  in  connection  with  Scale  of  Points  by  the  American  Shropshire  Asso- 
ciation (Mortimer  Levering  of  Lafayette,  Ind.,  Secretary),  and  appearing  in  Volume  I 
of  the  American  Shropshire  Record: 

"Constitution  and  quality,  indicated  by  the  form  of  body;  deep  and  large  in  breast  and  through 
the  heart;  back  wide,  straight,  and  well  covered  with  lean  meat  or  muscle;  wide  and  full  in  the  thigh; 
deep  in  flank;  skin  thick  but  soft  and  of  a  pink  color;  prominent,  brilliant  eyes  and  healthful  coun- 
tenance. 

"  In  fair  condition  when  fully  matured,  rams  should  weigh  not  less  than  225  pounds,  and  ewes 
not  less  than  175  pounds. 

"General  appearance  and  character:  Good  carriage;  head  well  up;  elastic  movement,  showing 
great  symmetry  of  form  and  uniformity  of  character  throughout. 

"Body,  well  proportioned,  medium  bones,  great  scale  and  length,  well  finished  hind-quarters, 
thick  back  and  loins,  twist  deep  and  full,  standing  with  legs  well  placed  outside,  breast  wide  and 
extending  well  forward. 

2  "  Head  short  and  broad;  wide  between  the  ears  and  between  the  eyes;  short  .from  top  of  head  to 
tip  of  nose;  ears  short,  of  medium  size;  eyes  expressive;  head  should  be  well  covered  with  wool  to  a 
point  even  with  the  eyes,  without  any  appearance  of  horns;  color  of  face,  dark  brown. 

"Neck — Medium  length,  good  bone  and  muscular  development;  and  especially  with  the  rams, 
heavier  toward  the  shoulders,  well  set  high  up,  and  rising  from  that  point  to  the  back  of  the  head. 

"  Legs — Broad,  short,  straight,  well  set  apart,  well  shaped,  color  dark  brown,  and  well  wooled  to 
the  knees. 

"Body,  head,  belly  and  legs  to  knees  well  covered  with  fleece  of  even  length  and  quality; 
scrotum  of  rams  well  covered  with  wool. 

"Wool  medium,  such  as  is  known  in  our  markets  as  'medium  delaine'  and  'half-combing  wool,' 
strong,  fine,  lustrous  fibre,  without  tendency  to  mat  or  felt  together,  and  at  one  year's  growth  not  less 
than  three  and  one-half  inches  in  length." 


SIIROPSIIIRES IIAMPSIIIRES. 


ms 


Scale  of  Points  for  Shropshires,  to  be  used  in  connection  with  above  descripti 


Constitution 25 


Size 

General  appearance , 

Body 

Head 


Forward , 


Forward 70 

Neck 5 

Legs  and  Feet i() 

Fleece 2O 

Quality  of  Wool 5 


Perfection 100 


The  Shropshires  are  especially  fitted,  by  conditions  under  which  they  have  been 
reared,  for  moist  or  even  wet  localities.  That  they  will  do  remarkably  well  on  the 
dry  range  of  the  Southwest  we  are  constrained  to  doubt,  but  this  much  is  unquestioned: 
Shropshire  rams  for  use  in  grading  up  the  middle  wools  already  on  the  range,  are  liv- 
ing satisfaction.  What  more  could  be  asked?  The  engraving  represents  a  group  of 
noted  prize-winners  from  the  Fairview  Farm,  Woodville,  Ontario. 


CHAPTER  XLVIII. 


HAMPSHIRES. 


This  breed  originated  in  the  Chalks  of  Hampshire,  England,  from  which  locality 
it  takes  its  name.  It  is  supposed  to  be  the  result  of  mixing  the  blood  of  the  old  Wilt- 
shire and  native,  or  old  Hampshire  sheep,  with  the  Southdown.  It  is  stated,  also,  that 
the  Cotswold,  and  possibly  the  Leicester,  may  have  had  some  place  in  the  make-up  of 
the  modern  Hampshire  breed,  but  this  is  disputed  by  those  who  may  be  called  good 
authority.     In  this   connection   we  give  place  to  the  following  interesting  communica- 


HAMPSHIRE    RAMI,  CYCLONE. 

Iiiiportccl  by  Jamks  Wood,  Mt.  Kisco,  New  ^'ork. 


204 


HAMPSIIIRES. 


tion  from  that  veteran  breeder  and  importer  of  Hampshires,  Mr.  James  Wood,  Mount 
Kisco,  N.  Y.: 

"The  statements  made  by  a  number  of  writers  on  Hampshires,  that  they  carry  Cotswold  and 
perhaps  Leicester  blood,  are  all  based  upon  a  supposition  of  Spooner  in  a  paper  on  'Cross-Breeding,' 
published  in  the  Joui-nal  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  in  1859,  which  I  have.  In  the  main,  it  is 
an  admirable  paper.  He  does  not  say  it  is  a  fact,  or  that  there  is  sufficient  evidence  to  prove  it,  but  he 
supposes  there  may  have  been  an  infusion  of  such  blood. 

"All  independent  authorities  are  against  it.  Youatt  is  the  oldest  author  who  mentions  Hamp- 
shires, and  he  states  they  had  their  origin  in  the  original  Wiltshire  and  Berkshire  sheep  crossed  with 
the  Southdown.  Prof.  Wilson— a  very  high  authority— states  that  no  other  blood  was  used.  John 
Coleman,  Professor  in  the  Royal  Agricultural  College,  Cirencester,  and  late  editor  of  The  Field, 
denies  the  Cotswold  theory.  Squarey,  in  Coleman's  '  Sheep  of  Great  Britain,'  says  only  the  old 
Chalk  breeds  and  Southdowns  were  used.  Armitage,  in  'The  Sheep,'  makes  no  mention  of  Cots- 
wold blood  or  Leicester.  Scott,  in  'The  Practice  of  Sheep  Farming,'— the  last  English  book  on 
sheep— makes  no  mention  of  such  blood.  Alexander  Macdonald,  in  the  Mark  Lane  Express  of 
May  7th,  1888,  gives  their  origin  '  from  the  crossing  of  Wilts  and  Hants  sheep,  embellished  by  an 
infusion  of  Southdown  blood.' 

"  Every  author,  who  has  not  copied  from  Spooner,  is  clear  upon  this  point.  I  consider  the  mat- 
ter to  be  of  considerable  importance,  as  upon  the  fact  of  the  local  origin  of  the  breed  rests  the  explana- 
tion of  the  remarkable  prepotency  of  the  Hampshire,  when  used  in  cross-breeding.  Spooner  states 
that  thej'  have  extraordinary  power  in  cross-breeding,  and  this  is  illustrated  by  the  fact  that  the 
prizes  for  cross-bred  sheep  at  the  great  English  shows,  almost  always  go  to  sheep  with  a  Hampshire 
parentage." 


HAMPSHIRE   RAM,  BARON. 

One  ycirold;  imported  by  James  Wood,  Mt.  Kisco,  N.  Y. 


IIAMPSIIIRES. 


205 


HAMPSHIRE   EWES. 

Imported  by  James  Wood,  Mt.  Kisco,  N.  V.     (By  courtesy  of  "  Coiiii/ry  Gi-iitUman"  Albany,  N.  1'.) 

Mr.  Wood  further  states  that  the  average  weis^ht  of  breeding  rams  in  his  own 
flock,  and  others  with  which  he  is  famiUar,  might  be  safely  placed  at  ^50  to  275  lbs., 
and  that  his  breeding  ewes  shear  an  average  clip  of  seven  to  eight  pounds. 

The  Hampshire  is  the  largest  of  the  Downs  families  proper,  and  has  the  Down 
characteristics — dark  face  and  legs,  and  no  horns. 

Although  the  breed  has  been  known  since  near  the  beginning  of  the  present  cen- 
tury, it  has  been  only  of  late  years  that  it  has  taken  a  prominent  place  in  public  favor. 
Introduction  into  the  United  States  occurred  some  time  previous  to  the  Civil  War, 
and  the  largest  and  finest  flocks  were  found  in  the  South.  During  the  war,  however, 
(1860-65)  the  great  bulk  of  the  Hampshire  Down  flocks  in  the  South  were  destroyed, 
and  the  breed  practically  exterminated  in  this  section.  Within  the  past  decade  they 
have  been  quite  extensively  imported  to  various  parts  of  the  South  and  Southwest, 
and  are  said  to  surpass  their  progenitors — the  Southdowns — in  the  readiness  with  which 
they  acclimate  and  adapt  themselves  to  our  peculiar  conditions. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color  of  face  and  legs,  dark  brown — almost  black;  the  ears  are  of  good  size,  and 
more  pointed  than  those  of  the  Southdowns;  the  head  is  large  and  the  nose  decidedly 
Roman;  the  back  is  straight  and  broader  than  either  the  Southdown  or  Shropshire. 
As  already  noted,  it  is  the  largest  of  the  Downs  families  proper,  about  equaling  the 
Oxfordshire  (which  latter,  although  classed  as  a  Down,  should  be  placed  in  a  class 
intermediate  between  Downs  and  Longwools) — fat  two-year-old  wethers  weighing 


206  IIAMPSIIIKES OXFORDSHIRES. 

as  high  as  275  to  300  pounds,  and  mature  breeding  rams  scaling  an  average  say 
between  200  and  225  pounds.  Although  heavier  than  Shropshires,  they  are  hardly  so 
symmetrical,  being  longer  in  the  legs  and  somewhat  lighter  underneath,  but  the  back 
at  the  loin  is  remarkably  padded  with  an  excellent  quality  of  mutton.  The  fleece  is 
longer  than  that  of  the  Southdown,  and  of  a  quality  somewhat  coarser;  but  as  a  rule, 
considering^  the  greater  size  of  the  breed,  the  Hampshire  Downs  do  not  shear  so  heavy 
a  fleece;  an  average  clip  for  high  class  flocks  might  be  placed  at  five  to  seven  pounds. 
The  prominent  characteristic  of  the  Hampshire  breed  lies  in  the  remarkable  pre- 
cocity of  the  lambs,  which  frequently  increase  from  15  or  16  pounds  at  birth  to  140  or 
150  pounds  at  seven  or  eight  months;  and  their  excellence  in  this  respect  has  led  to 
the  use  of  Hampshire  rams  in  producing  early  lambs  for  city  market. 


CHAPTER    XLIX.   ' 


OXFORDSHIRES. 

The  Oxfords  should  stand  between  the  "Downs"  and  "  Longwools"  in  their 
classification,  the  tendency  being  more  toward  the  latter.  They  originated  about  1830 
— by  crossing  the  improved  Cotswold  with  the  Hampshire;  probably  to  some  small 
extent,  the  Southdown  was  used  in  the  mixture,  but  the  two  breeds  first  mentioned 
may  be  looked  upon  as  the  parent  stock.  The  wool  is  more  marked  by  the  Cotswold's 
combing  quality,  while  the  dark  faces  and  legs  show  unmistakable  evidence  of  the 
Hampshire  blood. 

The  Oxfordshire  breed  first  came  into  public  notice  about  1850  to  1860,  during 
which  time  the  best  flocks  were  found  in  the  shire  of  Oxford.  Since  that  date,  their 
excellent  qualities  have  given  them  a  foothold  in  almost  every  county  of  England. 
In  America,  they  are  not  so  widely  known  as  some  other  breeds,  but  a  Register  has 
been  established,  and  the  breed  has  been  pushed  forward  rapidly.  We  understand, 
also,  a  number  of  Oxfords  have  been  brought  to  the  Southwest,  and  that  they  are 
giving  excellent  satisfaction. 

description: 

Color  of  face  and  legs  dark  brown  with  a  grayish  tinge  inclining  to  drab.  Head 
medium  to  large,  with  a  tuft  of  wool  at  the  forehead  standing  out  more  from  the  head 
and  not  so  long,  as  in  the  Cotswold;  the  forehead  is  very  broad  and  full;  ears  set  low 
and  well  back;  eyes  large,  and  muzzle  finely  pointed.  The  fleece  is  not  so  long  as 
that  of  the  Cotswold — being  about  five  to  seven  mches — but  is  closer  and  finer,  with 
much  the  same  tendency  to  curl,  and  stands  well  out  from  the  body. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  has  been  adopted  by  the  Oxford  Down  Record 
Association : 


OXFORDSHIRE^ 


207 


208  OXFORDSIIIRES COTSWOLDS. 

Head 8  Forward 47 

Face 4     Fore-flank 5 

Nostrils 1     Back  and  Loin 12 

Eyes 2     Belly 3 

Ears 4     Quarters 8 

Collar 6     Hock 2 

Shoulder 8      Twist  or  junction 6 

Fore-legs 4     Fleece 17 

Breast 10  — 

—  Perfection 100 

Forward 47 

The  Oxfordshire  is  a  well  made,  round  bodied,  short  legged,  mutton  and  wool- 
combined  sheep.  In  size  it  about  equals  the  Hampshire — an  average  weight  for 
mature  breeding  rams  might  be  placed  between  200  and  225  pounds,  while  two-year- 
old  fat  wethers  are  frequently  found  weighing  upwards  of  275  to  300  lbs.  The 
Oxford  is  said  to  stand  herding  upon  wet  or  spongy  range  better  than  any  other  breed 
of  sheep,  and  from  the  fact  that  its  original  home  at  the  base  of  the  Cotswold  Hills 
was  just  such  a  wet,  springy  locality,  we  are  inclined  to  credit  the  statement. 

We  are  pleased  to  present  the  excellent  portrait  from  life  of  the  ram  Freeland, 
220,  kindly  furnished  us  by  Mr.  W.  A.  Shafor,  of  Middletown,  Ohio,  a  breeder  of 
Oxfords,  and  secretary  of  the  American  Oxford  Down  Record,  and  to  whom  we  are 
indebted  for  many  favors.  Freeland  was  bred  by  Mr.  Milton  Druce,  of  Fyfield, 
England,  and  at  two  years  of  age — when  imported  by  T.  S.  Cooper  of  Coopersburg, 
Pa. — weighed  425  lbs. 


CHAPTER  L. 


COTSWOLD  S. 

The  Cotswold  breed  is  very  old  and  firmly  fixed  in  its  characteristics.  It  is  said 
to  have  been  introduced  into  England  from  Spain  in  the  Twelfth  Century;  the  state- 
ment is  only  a  supposition,  however,  probably  based  on  the  fact  that  Spain  possesses  a 
breed  of  Longwools  not  unlike  the  old  unimproved  Cotswolds.  Certain  it  is  that  in 
the  Thirteenth  Century,  Cotswold  wool  was  known  and  valued  in  England  and  found 
a  place  as  such  in  wool  quotations.  In  1467,  permission  was  granted  as  a  Royal  Favor 
by  the  King,  Henry  IV,  to  export  some  of  these  sheep  to  Spain,  a  fact  which  illus- 
trates the  high  favor  Cotswolds  had  obtained  at  that  date. 

Improvement  of  the  breed  was  mainly  effected  after  Bakewell's  time,  by  using 
the  Leicester  as  a  cross;  this  gave  greater  aptitude  to  fatten,  smoothness,  quality  and 
appearance,  without  injuring  the  hardy  constitution  of  the  old  Cotswold  breed.  In 
America  the  breed  has  become  widely  known,  and  is  in  general  favor  as  a  combined 
wool  and  mutton  sheep. 


COTSWOLDS. 


209 


110  COTSWOLDS. 

Probably  the  first  large  importation  was  made  about  1840,  at  which  time  some  70 
or  80  head  were  brought  over;  since  that  date  numerous  flocks  have  been  founded, 
and  the  original  excellence  of  imported  animals  has  been  fully  sustained  by  American 
breeders. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color  of  face  and  legs,  white  or  light  grayish;  fleece  (combing)  eight  to  ten 
inches  long,  pure  white,  and  weighing  from  10  to  16  pounds  for  an  average  clip.  In 
size  the  Cotswold  ranks  among  the  large  breeds,  ranging  from  250  to  875  povnids, 
and  occasionally  a  specimen  dressing  over  300  pounds.  The  head  is  strong  and  large, 
with  a  somewhat  "  Roman"  nose,  no  horns,  and  a  characteristic  forelock  of  long 
curling  wool  hanging  over  the  forehead ;  the  back  is  broad  and  flat,  and  the  wool 
falls  away,  naturally  parted,  from  the  center:  the  legs  are  of  medium  length,  with 
rather  heavy  bone,  but  clean  and  trim  withal,  and  the  feet  are  sound  and  said  to  be 
not  subject  to  foot  diseases.  The  Cotswolds  are  large,  handsome,  long-wooled  sheep 
— prime  for  mutton  and  furnishing  an  excellent  quality  of  combing  wool.  They 
have  been  extensively  used  in  crosses  and  have  already  figured  in  the  origin  of  several 
well-known  breeds.  They  are  not  so  prolific  as  some  other  varieties,  but  the  ewes 
are  good  mothers  and  the  flock  will  thrive  with  ordinary  management. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points,  to  be  used  in  connection  with  description  given, 
is  taken  from  Volume  III  of  the  American  Cotswold  Record  (George  Harding, 
Waukesha,  Wis.,  Secretary  ) : 

EWE.  RAM 

8 Head 8 

4 Face 4 

1 Nostrils 1 

2 Eyes 2 

4 Ears 4 

5 Collar 6 

8 Shoulders '. 8 

4 Fore-Legs 4 

10 Breast 10 

4 Fore-Flank 5 

12 Back  and  Loin 12 

5 Belly 3 

8 Quarters 8 

2 Hock 2 

5 Twist 5 

18 Fleece 18 

100 Perfection 100 

The  animals  represented  in  illustrations  are  from  the  flock  of  T.  L.  Miller, 
Beecher,  111.  Mr.  Miller  requests  us  to  say,  however,  that  he  is  not,  now,  breeding 
Cotswolds,  his  entire  time  being  devoted  to  Hereford  cattle. 


COTPWOT.PS. 


211 


212  LEICESTERS. 


CHAPTER  LI. 


LEICESTERS. 

The  improved  Leicester  is  peculiarly  the  result  of  Mr.  Bakewell's  wonderful 
skill  as  a  breeder,  and  its  origin  and  improvement  may  be  best  studied  by  a  short 
review  of  Bakewell's  methods  as  emplo3'ed  in  improving  and  fixing  the  type  of  the 
Leicester  breed.  Mr.  Bakewell  lived  at  Dishley  in  Leicestershire,  England,  and 
about  1750  began  to  apply  himself  to  the  improvement  of  sheep  in  his  locality.  His 
plan  was  to  select  from  different  flocks,  without  regard  to  size,  the  sheep  which 
showed  greatest  aptitude  to  fatten  with  least  appearance  of  excess  of  bone  and  offal, 
and  he  regarded  the  fleece  as  of  secondary  importance. 

From  Youatt,  "On  Sheep,"  we  quote: 

"The  sort  of  sheep,  therefore,  which  Mr.  Bakewell  selected  were  those  possessed  of  the  most 
perfect  symmetry,  with  the  greatest  aptitude  to  fatten,  and  rather  smaller  in  size  than  the  sheep  then 
generally  bred.  Having  formed  his  stock  from  sheep  so  selected,  he  carefully  attended  to  the  pecu- 
liarities of  the  individuals  from  which  he  bred ;  and,  it  appears,  did  not  object  to  breeding  from  near 
relatives,  when,  by  so  doing,  he  put  together  animals  likely  to  produce  a  progeny  possessing  the 
characteristics  that  he  wished  to  obtain.  Mr.  Bakewell  has  been  supposed  by  some  persons  to  have 
formed  the  New  Leicester  variety,  by  crossing  different  sorts  of  sheep;  but  there  does  not  appear  to 
be  any  reason  for  believing  this;  and  the  circumstance  of  the  New  Leicesters  varying  in  their  appear- 
ance and  qualities  so  much  as  they  do  from  the  other  varieties  of  long-wooled  sheep,  can  by  no  means 
be  considered  as  proving  that  such  was  the  system  which  he  adopted." 

It  has  been  stated,  however,  that  Mr.  Bakewell  used  sheep  of  six  or  seven  differ- 
ent breeds,  and  that  at  one  time,  a  magnificent  black  ram  was  found  hidden  away  in 
a  pen  at  his  place.  We  are  inclined  to  believe  that  the  general  reticence  as  to  his 
methods — amounting  almost  to  apparent  selfishness — which  he  observed,  led  to  a 
great  deal  of  unwarranted  suspicion  and  surmising.  The  account  given  by  Youatt 
seems  more  reasonable,  and  especially  so,  since  it  is  a  now  well-known  principle  of 
breeding,  that  judicious  selection,  combined  with  proper  care,  of  breeding  animals, 
may — without  admixture  of  other  blood — entirely  change  the  appearance  and  char- 
acter of  a  breed. 

Having  thus  far  established  his  flock,  Mr.  Bakewell  pursued  the  plan  of  hiring 
out  rams  to  the  neighboring  breeders — a  plan,  by  the  way,  which  was  beneficial  to 
himself  in  permitting  a  wider  range  for  selection  of  his  breeding  stock,  and  to  the 
farmers,  by  permitting  a  change  of  rams  at  minimum  expense — and  in  this  way  con- 
tinued until  the  Leicester  breed  was  firmly  fixed,  both  in  character  and  popularity. 
Whatever  may  be  said  of  Mr.  Bakewell's  selfish  reserve  regarding  his  plan  of  breed- 
ing, it  cannot  be  denied  that  he  has  done  great  good  in  improving  the  modern  breeds 
of  sheep — a  statement  more  easily  believed  when  we  realize  that  the  New  or  Im- 
proved Leicester  has  had  much  to  do  in  improving  nearly  all  of  the  modern  mutton 
breeds. 

In  America  the  Leicesters  have  not  been  extensively  bred  or  advertised,  although 
in  Canada  they  are  much  better  known   and   appreciated   than   in   the   United    States. 


LEICESTERS. 


218 


214 


LEICESTERS. 


LEICESTERS LINCOLNS.  215 

The  first  importation  of  which  we  have  any  record  was  made  by  Christopher  Dunn, 

of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  in  1812,  and  there  are,  perhaps,  not  over  a  score  of  breeders on 

anything  Hke  an  extensive  scale— in  the  United  States  to-day,  and  none,  at  least  to 
our  knowledge,  in  the  South.  An  American  Leicester  Breeders'  Association  has 
recently  been  organized,  Avith  A.  J.  Temple,  of  Cameron,  111.,  Secretary. 

DESCKIPTIOX    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color  of  face  and  legs,  white;  head  small  and  clean,  with  tuft  of  wool  at  fore- 
head (not  so  long  as  in  case  of  Cotswold);  the  eyes  are  bright;  ears  of  good  size, 
placed  well  back ;  neck  and  shoulders  square  and  deep ;  back  straight  with  deep  car- 
cass; hind  quarters  not  so  full  and  square  as  in  the  Cotswold,  but  fairly  well  padded, 
and  legs  clean  and  fine  boned.  Mr.  Wm.  Rivers,  a  prominent  breeder  of  both 
Leicestcrs  and  Southdowns  in  Canada,  writes  us  under  date  July  2d,  1888,  as  follows: 

"  The  flesh  [of  the  Leicester]  is  juicy,  but  of  moderate  quality,  and  is  remarkable  for  the  amount 
of  outside  fat  it  carries.  They  are  not  considered  so  hardy  as  other  large  breeds,  and  require  shelter 
and  good  keep.  We  have  found  the  ewes  to  be  prolific  and  good  mothers,  but  the  young  lambs 
require  more  attention  than  those  of  the  Southdown.  Early  maturity  and  aptitude  to  fatten  are  the 
principal  characteristics  of  the  breed." 

We  may  add  that  some  other  breeders  have  not  found  the  Leicestcrs  prolific,  and 
it  is  generally  believed  that  prolifity  is  not  one  of  the  Leicestcrs'  strong  claims. 

The  Leicester  fleece  is  classed  with  the  long  wools  (combing) — showing  a  staple 
of  from  six  to  ten  inches,  and  high-class  flocks  shearing  an  average  of  eight  or  nine 
pounds.  In  size,  they  are  among  the  large  breeds — fat  two-year-old  wethers  weighing 
from  230  to  260  pounds,  and  mature  breeding  rams  about  190  to  215  pounds. 

Of  our  illustrations  the  first  represents  a  group  of  Canada  bred  sheep,  engraved 
after  a  sketch  from  life;  the  second  represents  a  ewe,  bretl  and  raised  in  l^ngland. 


CHAPTER     LII 


LIXCOLXS. 

Like  the  Leicester,  this  breed  is  a  very  old  one,  maile  over.  The  old  native  slice]) 
of  Lincolnshire,  England,  was  a  big,  gaunt,  raw-boned  animaf— capable  of  feeding 
to  enormous  weight,  but  requiring  a  large  amount  of  food,  and  a  long  time  to  accom- 
plish it.  After  Bakewell's  time,  Lincoln  breeders  began  to  use  Leicester  rams  to 
improve  their  flocks,  with  the  result  of  decreasing  size  and  length  of  time  required 
to  mature;  increasing  at  same  time  quality  of  flesh  and  wool,  and  aptitude  to  fatten. 

So  excellent  was  the  basis  and  so  great  the  improvement,  that  from  1860  (at 
which  date  the  Lincoln  breed  was  first  given  a  separate  class)  to  1870,  the  majority 
of  prizes  for  long-wooled  sheep  at  English  fairs,  were  taken  by  the  Lincolns.  In 
America  they  have  long  been  bred  in  a  small  way,  but  there  arc  as  yet  few  breeders 
of  any  prominence.     Canada   leads  the    United   States   in  number'^ -■{  l„.th  Lin.., Ins 


216  LINCOLXS. 

and  Leicesters,  and  most  of  the  flocks  now  in  the  United  States  are  descended  from 
Canada  bred  or  Canada  imported  stock.  Geary  Brothers  have  a  fine  flock  of  Lincohis 
at  London,  Ontario,  Canada,  and  as  they  also  have  a  farm  at  Brookfield,  Mo. — where 
their  large  Aberdeen- Angus  and  English  Shire  interests  are  located — it  is  presumable 
that  the  Lincoln  sheep  will  eventually  become  pretty  well  scattered  and  favorably 
known  at  least  in  Missouri.  There  are  also  flocks  of  some  size  in  Minnesota,  Ohio, 
Iowa,  Wisconsin  and  Kansas.  An  American  Association  has  been  lately  organized 
with  L.  C.  Graham,  of  Cameron,  111.,  Secretary,  and  we  may  look  for  a  rapid  advance 
of  Lincoln  interests  in  the  near  future. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color  of  face  and  legs,  white;  head  large  and  conspicuously  free  from  wool  at 
the  forehead,  which  narrows  somewhat  sharply  backward.  The  neck  is  of  medium 
leno-th,  well  set  on  to  deep  shoulders;  back  straight  and  full,  but  not  so  broad  as  in 
the  Cotswold;  legs  rather  long,  firm,  large  boned;  and  general  appearance,  if  not 
sprightly,  at  least  strong  and  vigorous.  The  fleece  is  the  longest  of  the  long  wools 
(combing),  lustrous  in  character,  and  showing  a  staple  from  nine  to  twelve  inches  in 
leno-th.    High  class  flocks  yield  an  annual  clip  of  from  nine  to  fifteen  pounds  the  fleece. 

In  size,  the  Lincolns  are  classed  as  the  largest  of  modern  breeds— fat  two-year- 
old  wethers  frequently  weighing  upwards  of  300  pounds,  and  mature  breeding  rams 
from  225  to  250  pounds.  From  Consul  General  Merritt's  Report,  dated  at  London, 
England,  March  25th,  1884,  we  clip  the  following  in  reference  to  Lincoln  sheep: 

"Being  very  broad,  deep  and  compact  in  form,  they  generally  outstrip  the  Cotswold  in  weight 
at  the  Smithfield  Club  Shows,  and  last  December,  the  heaviest  pen  [three  animals  of  a  kind  taken 
collectively]  of  sheep  in  the  Agricultural  Hall,  was  that  of  Mr.  John  Pears,  which  took  first  prize 
in  the  Ewe  Class,  the  animals  weighing  nine  cwt.,  two  quarters,  twenty-four  pounds." 

An  average  of  323f^  pounds  per  head. 

The  Lincoln  requires  rich  food  and  plenty  of  it,  but  when  the  proper  conditions 
are  given,  it  would  be  hard  to  find  a  more  profitable  sheep.  For  the  South,  we  would 
hardly  consider  them  valuable — although  it  must  be  admitted  that  the  opinion  is  purely 
theoretical since  we  have  no  knowledge  of  any  Lincoln  flocks  in  the  Gulf  States. 

The  large  illustration  represents  the  ram  Rescue,  winner  of  nine  first  and  four 
second  prizes  in  England  and  Canada;  and  the  two  shearling  ewes  Daisy  and  Ermine, 
winners  of  the  first  and  second  prizes  respectively  at  no  less  than  five  fairs  or  exhi- 
bitions on  the  Canada  side:  all  imported  in  1883,  by  Geary  Bros.,  London,  Ontario, 
Canada,  and  Brookfield,  Mo.,  U.  S.  A. 

The  ram,  Lord  Preston,  was  bred  and  raised  in  England,  and  the  engraving  is 
the  work  of  English  artists. 


LINCOLNS. 


217 


218 


LIXCOLNS 


HINTS    ON    SELECTION,    CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    SHEEP.  219 


CHAPTER    LIII. 


HINTS  ON  SELECTION,  CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  SHEEP. 

The  selection  of  sheep — more  than  any  other  race  of  domestic  animals— requires 
strict  regard  to  the  purpose  for  which  they  are  desired.  In  the  Chapters  under  Part 
Third,  we  have  tried  to  give  an  accurate  description  of  each  of  the  modern  breeds; 
and  have  stated,  in  brief,  the  peculiar  conditions  under  which  each  breed  will  give 
best  returns.  With  these  hints  already  before  us,  it  is  unnecessary  to  treat  further  of 
selection  of  breed,  than  to  say:  Each  party  must  first  determine  the  purpose  for  which 
he  desires  sheep — whether  for  mutton,  or  for  wool,  or  for  both  combined — by  a  care- 
ful study  of  his  market  facilities,  both  as  to  relative  demand  and  price  for  mutton  and 
wool,  and  also  as  to  relative  shipping  charges  in  transporting  either  to  market.  Hav- 
ing once  reached  a  decision  on  above,  and  after  carefully  studying  the  characteristics 
of  the  different  breeds  of  sheep,  and  comparing  the  needs  of  each  with  the  conditions 
of  climate,  soil  and  food  which  obtain  in  his  immediate  localitv,  he  is  then  reach-  to 
select  the  breed  with  something  like  an  intelligent  judgment. 

The  man  who  tries  raising  sheep  because  he  thinks  "sheep  are  not  worth  much 
any  way,  and  if  a  few  die  it  is  no  great  loss,"  had  best  obtain  more  sense  before 
investing  his  dollars.  There  is  nothing  in  the  live  stock  line  which  demands  such 
close  calculation,  and  such  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  business,  as  the  breeding  and 
handling  of  sheep.  It  is  a  common  saying  that  '■'■  the  ram  is  half  the  flock ^''  and  it 
might  be  stated  with  equal  force  that  the  shepherd  is  the  other  half.  It  is  really  of 
great  importance  that  the  shepherd  in  charge  of  the  flock,  be  a  man  who  thoroughly 
imderstands  his  work,  and  such  a  man  must  be  sought  among  those  who  have  "grown 
up  in  the  sheep  pen."  To  graduate  in  the  School  of  Experience  requires  many 
vears,  but  the  course  when  completed,  is  of  incalculable  value.  It  is  not  every  man 
that  can  have  the  advantage  of  an  early  boyhood  training  in  this  direction,  but,  if  a 
practical  shepherd  can  be  secured,  he  may  still  be  able  to  handle  sheep  with  reason- 
able success. 

In  selecting  service  i-ams,  the  breeder  should  aim  to  secure  perfection  in  shapt 
and  fleece,  rather  than  excess  of  weight:  an  unusually  large  ram  may  produce  some 
very  large  lambs,  but  he  will  also  produce  very  many  small  ones;  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  a  short-coupled,  close  made,  smooth  and  even,  but  smaller  ram  will  breed  with 
much  greater  uniformity.  The  head  of  the  stock  ram  should  always  be  small  in 
proportion  to  body;  the  legs  firm  but  not  large;  the  back  and  loin  well  padded 
with  mutton,  and  covered  densely  with  wool  of  even  length,  and  the  general  appear- 
ance and  style  should  be  brisk  and  sprightly— a  lazy  looking  «  droopy"  ram,  as  a  rule, 
is  not  a  strong  breeder.  Light,  but  strong,  bones  are  much  to  be  desired  in  a  sheep, 
and  large  bones  are  always  objectionable.     If  the   head  is  too   large — unless  bred  to 


220  HINTS  ON  SELECTION,  CARE  AND   MANAGEMENT  OF  SHEEP. 

ewes  unusually  broad  and  deep  in  the  pelvic  region — much  trouble  will  result  at  lamb- 
ing time  and  considerable  loss  may  be  incurred. 

The  ewe  should  be  selected  with  reference  to  type  of  the  breed  to  which  she 
belongs;  and,  especially  if  bred  to  produce  a  certain  result,  should  exhibit  the  peculiar 
characters  which  the  breeder  aims  to  secure.  The  primary  purpose  of  the  ewe  being 
that  of  a  mother,  she  should  be  chosen  with  especial  reference  to  her  capacity  to  carry 
and  nourish  the  foetus,  and  produce  milk  for  the  lamb.  Ewes  are  like  cows — some 
aie  o-ood  milkers,  but  many  are  poor  in  this  respect,  and  the  external  signs  of  milking 
excellence  are  much  the  same  in  both.  A  feminine  appearance  of  the  head;  wide, 
open  pelvis,  and  body  deep  at  the  flank,  are  marks  which  should  always  guide  in 
selection  of  the  ewe. 

We  are  not  of  opinion  that  the  ordinary  sheep  farmer  will  have  very  great 
success  with  thoroughbred  flocks  of  any  breed;  but  we  cannot  urge  too  strongly 
the  use  of  thoroughbi-ed  rams  in  grading  up  the  hardy  native  or  mixed-bred  sheep 
common  to  different  sections  of  the  country.  Mixed-bred  flocks  receive  very 
kindly  the  blood  of  any  of  the  improved  breeds;  and  it  is  only  a  question  of 
result  desired  as  to  what  breed  of  ram  should  be  selected.  As  a  rule,  wherever  dry, 
scant  rano-es  are  found — especially  in  warm  climates — wool  will  be  more  profitable 
than  mutton,  and  no  sheep  will  succeed  better  than  the  Merino.  Where  land  is  more 
fertile,  and  food,  in  consequence,  more  abundant,  a  combination  of  mutton  and  wool 
may  be  found  more  profitable;  for  such  conditions  as  are  found  in  the  upper  portion 
of  the  Mississippi  Valley,  the  "  Middle- wools  "  have  held  the  field  against  all  others; 
and  in  the  same  section  it  has  been  found  profitable,  when  flocks  of  short-wool  basis 
were  already  present,  to  use  compact  rams  of  the  long-wool  breeds — combining,  in 
this  way,  the  hardy  characters  of  the  former,  with  the  size  and  mutton  capacity  of  the 
latter,  and  producing  a  middle-wool  flock  with  least  expenditure  of  time  and  money. 

To  improve   a  flock   requires,  primarily,   an   accurate   knowledge   of    the  type 

desired the  improver  must  carry,  in   his  mind's  eye,  a  picture  of  the  sheep  he  wishes 

to  produce,  and  every  animal,  of  either  sex,  which  he  employs  to  accomplish  his  pur- 
pose, must  be  selected  by  comparison  with  this  ideal  type.  He  must  remember  that 
it  takes  time  to  accomplish  much  in  the  way  of  improvement,  and  that  he  cannot 
expect  to  secure  in  any  two,  or  even  three  or  four,  animals  all  the  points — in  perfection 

which  he  wishes  combined  in  one  individual.    Above  all,  let  it  be  remembered,  that 

the  most  careful  and  judicious  selection  may  be  set  at  naught  by  ignorant  or  careless 
management  of  the  breeding  flock;  sheep  are  delicate  property,  and,  while  with 
breeders  of  any  race  of  domestic  animals,  careful  attention  is  a  paying  investment, 
with  the  breeder  of  sheep  it  becomes  a  most  essential  factor  of  success. 

The  student  will  find  it  profitable  to  make  a  careful  study  of  the  actual  methods 
employed  by  successful  breeders  in  different  parts  of  the  country,  and  to  this  end  we 
invite  attention  to  the  following  letters: 

Shropshires, 

"  Fairview  Farm,  Woodville,  Ont.,  July  25th,  1888. 
*        *        *        * 

"  Ewes,  if  at  all  low  in  condition,  are  prepared  for  turning  to  the  ram,  by  feeding  a  little  mixed 
grain — two-thirds  oats  and  one-third  peas— once  daily.  It  is  thought  by  many  practical  flock  owners 
that  ewes  gaining  in  flesh  when  being  served,  give  a  larger  number  of  twins.     The  bucks  are  usually 


HINTS    ON    SELECTION,    CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    SHEEP.  221 

let  to  them  about  the  first  of  September  for  early  lambs,  and  in  October  for  a  later  lot.  As  my  flocks 
are  all  pure-bred  Shropshires,  the  object  in  having  lambs  dropped  so  early  is  to  have  them  well  for- 
ward for  exhibiting  in  the  fall,  but  it  is  also  the  most  profitable  way  of  raising  market  lambs,  as  about 
Easter  good  ones  bring  double  the  price  of  those  marketed  two  months  later.  During  the  late  fall, 
the  flock  is  allowed  into  its  winter  quarters  at  night,  but  is  not  kept  yarded  until  the  snow  covers 
the  ground. 

"The  winter  feeding  until  lambing  time  is  as  follows:  pea-straw  from  peas  cut  before  being 
fully  ripe  is  fed  in  the  morning,  three  pounds  of  turnips  per  ewe  at  noon,  and  a  full  feed  of  clover 
hay  at  night,  with  abundance  of  good,  clean  water.  No  grain  is  fed  at  this  period  except  a  small 
daily  allowance  of  mixed  oats  and  bran  to  thin  ewes.  During  the  winter,  they  are  not  closely  housed, 
but  have  an  open  shed  to  shelter  .them  from  storms  and  wet,  with  yards  attached  for  exercise,  but 
separate  from  all  other  stock. 

"During  our  cold  winter  weather,  warm  quarters  are  necessary  for  lambing,  but  when  the 
lambs  are  two  weeks  old,  they  are  run  into  (he  sheds  and  yards.  After  the  lambs  are  dropped,  the 
ewes  are  carefully  tended,  warm  drinks  of  water,  bran  and  a  sprinkle  of  salt  are  given  thrice  dailv, 
and  clover  hay.  The  third  day,  oat  and  pea  meals  are  added  to  the  bran,  when  the  water  used  for 
moistening  may  be  cool  (but  not  too  cold),  and  three  pounds  of  mangel-wurtzels  are  given  daily. 
The  slop  is  increased  in  quantity,  until  all  that  is  eaten  at  once  is  fed  morning  and  night,  and  the 
roots  are  increased  to  six  pounds  for  a  noon  feed,  with  a  full  supply  of  clover  hay  and  water.  This 
liberal  feeding  induces  a  heavy  flow  of  milk,  just  what  is  required  to  make  the  lambs  grow  rapidlv 
at  that  stage,  and  the  ewes,  as  well,  will  often  gain  in  condition.  When  the  lambs  are  tliree  weeks 
old,  a  separate  division  is  provided  for  them  to  run  into  at  will,  where  a  mixture  of  ground  oats,  peas, 
and  also  bran,  with  oil  cake  [linseed]  added  later  on,  is  fed.  When  turned  to  grass,  the  ewes  are  given 
some  dry  grain  for  a  week  or  two,  and  when  early  forward  lambs  are  wanted,  the  mixture  is  con- 
tinued all  summer.  Whether  pre-maturity  is  wanted  or  not,  all  lambs  are  given  an  allowance  of 
grain  after  weaning,  about  the  15th  of  July  or  August  1st.  By  this  system,  Fairview  flock  has  pro- 
duced yearly  averages  per  ewe  of  13^  to  13^  lambs,  some  weighing,  year  after  year  in  September,  130 
pounds,  and  in  1883,  a  ram  lamb,  dropped  in  February,  was  exhibited  from  this  flock  at  the  Industrial 
Exhibition,  Toronto,  Canada,  which  weighed  175  povmds  in  September. 

"  As  a  rule,  ram  lambs  are  not  used,  t'.iough  no  doubt  an  early,  well  developed  one  is  quite 
capable  of  serving  a  dozen  to  twenty  ewes  without  hurt,  and  with  good  results.  When  used  on  a 
large  flock — 40  to  60  ewes — he  is  not  allowed  constantly  with  them ;  is  kept  apart,  fed  whole  oats 
and  peas,  with  bran  added,  and  turned  to  the  flock  a  short  time  each  evening.  With  half  the  number, 
a  mature  buck  is  run  the  whole  day  with  the  flock,  kept  separate  at  night,  and  fed  grain. 

"The  winter  care  of  rams  is  similar  to  that  given  ewes  before  lambing,  with  the  exception  of 
double  the  quantity  of  roots  being  fed;  and  also  some  grain,  if  more  than  ordinary  condition  is 
required,  as  for  show  purposes,  or  for  pushing  on  lambs  to  earlier  maturity  as  shearlings. 

"Shearing  is  generally  done  before  the  sheep  are  turned  to  grass,  in  the  beginning  of  May, 
though  sometimes,  if  the  weather  is  favorable,  the  wool  is  taken  off  a  month  earlier  than  that  date. 
To  keep  the  wool  in  good  condition  and  prevent  its  being  pulled,  because  of  ticks  or  skin  disease,  the 
flock  is  dipped  with  tobacco  water,  or  one  of  the  patent  sheep  dips,  early  in  the  fall  while  the  weather 
is  mild.  The  lambs  are  dipped  previously  in  May,  when  tobacco  water  is  preferred,  as  it  does  not 
injure  the  tender  skin,  which  the  others  are  apt  to  do.  After  shearing,  each  fleece  is  carefully  spread 
on  a  table,  skin  side  downwards,  all  tags  removed,  and  the  sides  folded  toward  the  center  until  about 
18  inches  in  width,  when  it  is  tightly  rolled  from  the  tail  end,  and  a  rope  twisted  from  the  neck  end, 
with  which  the  fleece  is  tied  up.  When  tidily  done,  it  can  be  handled  without  breaking,  and  the 
manufacturer  can  sort  at  will. 

Very  truly,  Jno.  R.  Campbell,  Jr." 

In  Mr.  Campbell's  letter  we  have  a  clear  exposition  of  the  manner  of  handling 
sheep  in  a  cold  country,  and  one  which  cannot  fail  to  be  of  value,  not  only  to  the 
breeders  of  sheep  in  a  similar  climate,  but  to  breeders  in  any  latitude.  The  object 
in  breeding  sheep  is  to  make  money,  and  the  point  with  mutton  producers  is  to  secure 
great  weight  at  an  early  age;  Mr.  Campbell  explains  very  clearly  the   double  advan- 


222  HINTS   ON    SELECTION,  CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    SHEEP. 

tage  he  derives  from  this  early  forcing  process,  and  shows  a   close   acquaintance  with 
the  profit  side  of  sheep  account. 

American  JSIerinos. 

"  Stanberry,  Mo.,  July  23d,  1888. 
*         *         *        * 

"Commencing  at  breeding  time,  when  the  ewes  are  supposed  to  be  in  lamb,  the  rams  are  separ- 
ated from  the  ewes,  generally  keeping  all  the  rams  in  one  fold,  and  in  good  thriving  condition ;  never 
allowing  any  to  get  thin  in  flesh,  usually  feeding  regularly  on  the  best  of  clover  and  timothy  hay, 
whenever  they  desire  to  eat  it ;  if  this  and  the  pasturage — which  should  be  of  the  best,  and  always 
with  pure  water,  easily  accessible,  is  insufficient  for  the  groAvth  of  flesh,  we  give  at  least  once  per  day, 
a  feed  of  grain,  about  one  gill  to  half  pint  each — a  mixture  of  three  parts  oats  and  one  of  wheat. 

"Through  the  breeding  season,  such  feeding  ought  to  be  nearly,  if  not  quite,  doubled  for  rams. 
A  remunerative  plan  is  to  separate  the  rams  at  night  from  the  sight  of  the  ewes,  and  to  these  as  to 
all  other  sheep,  give  thin  feed,  of  a  wholesome  quality,  and  in  a  strictly  clean  place,  with  ample  room 
for  all  to  feed  without  crowding.  None  of  the  brute  creation  is  naturally  more  cleanly,  and  conse- 
quently for  profit  such  rules  must  be  adhered  to. 

"  With  the  ram,  constitution  and  vitality  cover  60  out  of  the  100  points,  and  from  the  lot,  the 
most  vigorous  and  strong  (other  things  being  equal)  are  selected  for  service.  Ewes  after  having 
been  bred,  are  allowed  or  required  to  take  more  of  gentle  exercise,  with  an  abundant  amount  of  nutri- 
tious pasture,  and  are  supplied  with  well  cured  and  timely  prepared  roughness,  from  grass,  corn 
fodder,  small  grain  straw,  &c.,  to  supply  any  deficiency  caused  by  frosts  or  drouth;  if  necessary  to 
keep  or  put  into  good  strong  flesh,  be  sure  to  add  a  grain  feed,  proportionate  to  the  needs; — 300  well 
kept  ewes  will  shear  annually  more  wool  and  raise  more  lambs  than  500  half  starved.  Especially  at 
the  approach  of  the  lambing  season  do  the  ewes  need  extra  care  and  feed.  When  the  herdsman  says 
'the  ewes  do  not  own  the  lambs,'  he  ought  to  be  informed  that  the  flock-master  does  not  own  his 
sheep,  for  '  'tis  the  full  udder  that  calls  for  the  lamb,'  and  the  dam  can  only  supply  to  her  offspring 
from  what  has  first  been  given  her.  In  proportion  to  the  desire  for  the  growth  of  the  lambs  should 
be  the  food  supply  to  the  ewes.  If  the  lambs  are  intended  for  mutton,  they  ought  to  be  encouraged 
to  eat  of  grain  as  young  as  possible,  say  from  eight  to  tw elve  weeks  old,  and  all  lambs  will  grow  and 
thrive  best  that  are  weaned  at  about  five  to  six  months  of  age.  They  should  be  separated  from  their 
dams,  and  put  on  the  most  succulent  pasture,  and  fed  partially  on  grain  for  the  first  winter — for  stock 
sheep,  an  amount  sufficient  for  good  thrift  and  growth;  for  the  block  or  shambles,  as  much  as  is 
readily  consumed  till  the  butcher  wishes  them,  let  it  be  three  months  or  three  years. 

"  Shearing  and  marketing  of  wool  is  an  important  part  of  this  industry,  and  as  a  rule,  from  one 
to  three  cents  per  pound  can  be  gained  or  lost  in  the  way  wool  is  handled,  and  as  a  rule  from  10  to 
20  per  cent.,  in  the  time  of  year  this  is  done.  Sheep  ought  to  be  shorn  earlier  in  the  season  than  is 
generally  practiced,  from  which  two  great  advantages  arise:  one  is,  that  in  the  fall  of  year,  or  when 
inclement  weather  comes  on,  the  early  shorn  has  more  protection;  and  the  other  is,  the  early  shorn 
will  give  annually  a  larger  fleece  for  several  reasons,  among  them:  (1)  that  a  large  amount  of  wool, 
which  some  sheep  naturally  shed,  is  saved;  and  (2)  being  clipped,  prevents  the  habit  of  shedding. 
I  always  shear  as  early  as  the  weather  will  permit,  not  minding  the  month  except  for  the  show  sheep, 
which,  according  to  the  rules  of  some  of  our  Associations,  put  the  limit  not  earlier  than  April  1st. 
I  have  never  known  any  losses  to  newly  shorn  sheep  except  from  their  being  exposed  to  wet,  and 
have  known  more  in  June  than  in  March.  At  shearing,  all  impurities  should  be  clipped  from  the 
fleece,  which  should  be  carefully  handled,  not  tearing,  and  being  turned  flesh  side  out  on  a  clean 
table,  folded  together,  and  rolled  up,  and  tied  with  specially  prepared  wool  twine,  sufficient,  and  only 
so,  to  keep  in  place;  after  which,  keep  the  wool  clean  from  dust,  straw  or  other  things,  and  if  one 
has  a  desirable  lot  of  wool  with  an  attractive  appearance,  the  commission  man  will  find  it,  and  the 
grower  can  sell  at  home,  and  know  what  he  gets  for  it.     This  I  have  always  done. 

Most  truly,  L.  E.  Shattuck." 

Mr.  Shattuck  believes  is  early  shearing — a  point  on  which  we  think  he  is  quite 
correct.     If  sheep  are   to  be   shorn   for  a   record,  it  is  of  course  necessary  that  some 


HINTS  ON   SELECTION,  CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  SHEEP.  223 

system  prevail,  by  which  uniformity  may  be  secured;  but  if  a  man  is  Ineeding  for 
dollars  and  cents,  and  without  regard  to  association  rules,  we  see  no  reason  why  the 
shearing  can  not  be  done  at  least  a  week  earlier  than  is  generally  practiced.  We  are 
glad  to  note  the  point  regarding  milking  quality  in  the  ewe;  too  many  overlook  this, 
and  seem  to  regard  the  ewe  as  an  unchangeable  machine — capable  of  just  so  much 
and  no  more  in  this  direction.  There  is  as  much  difference  among  ewes  in  milking 
quality  as  among  cows:  no  one  would  make  the  mistake  of  breeding  cows  that  could 
not  support  their  calves,  and  yet  this  very  thing  is  overlooked  by  one-half  of  the 
modern  breeders  of  sheep.  Mr.  Shattuck  is  one  of  our  most  successful  wool  men, 
and  his  hints  on  handling  the  fleece  and  marketing  the  wool,  may  be  read  with  profit. 

American  Merinos. 

"Sowers,  Texas,  July  31st,  1888. 
*         *         *         * 

"I  have  300  acres  of  land  located  on  Grapevine  Prairie;  the  land  is  high  and  quite  undulating. 
Soil  mostly  gravelly  mesquite  land;  all  fenced  sheep  proof,  five  wires— three  barbed  and  two  smooth 
—beginning  with  barbed  at  top  and  bottom;  posts  16  feet  apart.  I  began  in  the  spring  of  1885  with 
175  head  Michigan  bred  ewes  and  five  rams.  On  the  20th  of  October  I  begin  breeding  the  ewes. 
To  every  100  head  I  turn  in  one  ram  in  the  morning,  and  take  him  out  at  night.  On  the  second  day 
after,  I  return  ram  to  the  flock,  or  a  fresh  one  in  his  stead.  I  continue  in  this  way  until  all  the  ewes, 
or  nearly  all,  are  with  lamb,  then  I  allow  one  or  more  of  my  best  rams  to  remain  with  the  flock  until 
about  Christmas,  when  I  remove  all  the  rams  from  the  ewe  flock  until  the  following  October.  My 
land  is  divided  into  five  pastures,  all  well  shaded  and  watered.  I  do  not  allow  my  flock  to  run  more 
than  a  month  in  one  pasture  before  changing  them  around. 

"  My  flock  is  divided  into  three  flocks— breeding  ewes,  rams  and  lambs,  and  are  kept  thus  separ- 
ated the  whole  year  round.  I  begin  feeding  as  early  in  the  winter  as  weather  and  condition  of  flocks 
demand,  on  sorghum,  corn  fodder,  prairie  hay,  corn,  cotton  seed  and  sheaf  oats.  I  limit  myself  to  no 
given  amount  per  head,  but  feed,  according  to  the  mildness  or  severity  of  the  weather,  about  what  I 
Think  they  require  and  will  eat  up  clean.  During  the  cold  and  all  of  the  wet  weather  of  the  year,  I 
keep  them  housed  in  well-built  sheds.  My  lambs  begin  coming  March  20th,  and  are  generallv  all 
through  by  the  first  of  May.  I  castrate  lambs  at  two  to  four  days  old;  dock  all  at  about  one 
week  to  ten  days  old,  and  wean  at  four  months.  I  shear  about  the  middle  of  May,  and  sack  the 
fleeces  'loose'  in  regular  wool  sacks.  I  have  now  475  head  of  all  ages-all  full  blood  Merinos.  In 
fair  weather,  I  always  feed  liberally  with  salt  and  sulphur  (one  part  sulphur  to  two  parts  salt)  except 
to  ewes  in  pregnancy.     I  shear  but  once  a  year,  and  fleece  averages  for  entire  flock  from  11  to  12  lbs. 

Respectfully  yours,  C.  F.  Mills." 

We  extend  our  compliments  to  Mr.  Mills  for  the  concise,  clear  and  full  account 
of  his  way  of  handling  sheep.  We  have  not  the  pleasure  of  a  personal  acquaintance, 
but  his  letter  indicates  that  he  understands  his  business,  and  will  doubtless  succeed. 


PAi^T  fol:i?xm. 


s:^irs  E. 


LARGE  BREEDS. 

PAGE 

Berkshires Chaptfi-  Ll\ 226 

Poland-Chinas "       LV 229 

Duroc-Jerseys "       LVI 232 

Chester-Whites "       LVI  I  .  235 

Todd's  Improved   Chester-Whites...         '•       LVIII  .  237 

GOTHLANDS "       LIX    .  239 

MIDDLE  BREEDS. 

Curtis  Victorias Chapter  LX '-'30 

Davis  Victorias "       LXI...  240 

Cheshires "       LXII....  242 

SMALL  BREEDS: 

Small   Yorkshires , Chapter  LX  III  ..  .  '-'44 

Essex "        LXIV.  247 

Neapolitans "       LXV  . .  .  24!1 

English,  or   Black,   Suffolks '•       LXVI  249 

American,  or  White,  Suffolks "        LXVIl  .  "J^^ 

HINTS  ON  SELECTION,  CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT. 
Chapter  LXVIII '-"' 


226  BERKSHIRES. 


CHAPTER    LIV. 


BERKSHIRES. 


As  indicated  by  the  name,  this  variety  of  swine  originated  in  the  county  or  shire 
of  Berk,  England.  The  old  original  Berkshire  was  a  large,  raw-boned,  coarse  hog, 
with  lop  ears;  was  black  and  white  in  color,  with  occasional  red  or  sandy  spots. 

Improvement  of  the  breed  was  begun  about  the  year  1780,  by  crossing  with  the 
Chinese  hog;  but  it  was  not  until  Lord  Barrington's  time  (1820-30)  that  the  breed 
was  brought  to  any  degree  of  perfection.  (It  is  stated  by  some  authors,  that  the 
Neapolitan  hog  was  the  main  source  of  Berkshire  improvement;  this,  however,  is 
firmly  denied  by  others,  and  we  have  nowhere  been  able  to  find  safe  authority  for  the 
use  of  the  Neapolitan  at  all  in  this  connection.)  The  methods  pursued  by  Lord  Bar- 
rington  can  only  be  surmised,  but  it  is  certain  that  he  added  much  to  the  merits  of  the 
Berkshire  breed,  and  achieved  a  reputation  fully  proven  by  the  fact  that  nearly  all  of 
the  English  Berkshires  trace  their  ancestry  to  his  herd. 

Probably  the  first  importation  to  the  United  States  was  made  by  John  Brentnall, 
of  New  Jersey,  in  1823.  Some  years  later,  about  1832,  Sidney  Hayes,  an  English 
farmer  residing  near  Albany,  N.  Y.,  brought  over  a  few  head.  Since  that  time  num- 
bers have  been  imported,  and  the  improvement  made  by  American  breeders  has  been 
so  marked  as  to  cause  competent  judges  to  decide  in  favor  of  the  American-bred  hog. 
Prof.  Jas.  Long,  in  his  admirable  work,  "  The  Book  of  the  Pig,"  speaking  of  breed- 
ing for  exhibition  says: 

"  In  America  the  Berkshire  pig  is  much  more  extensively  bred  than  with  us,  and  there  is  in  that 
country  not  only  a  very  much  larger  number  of  breeders  of  pigs  of  an  exhibition  type,  but  there  is  a 
Berkshire  Pig  Association,  which  is  supported  by  a  large  body  of  members,  although  English  breed- 
ers, to  whom  the  Americans  originally  came  for  the  foundations  of  their  herds,  have  hitherto  lacked 
sufficient  spirit  and  energy  to  carry  anything  of  the  kind  to  a  successful  issue." 

Although  an  English  variety  of  swine,  we  prefer  to  accept  the  standard  of 
American  l)reeders,  as  outlined  in  the  following 


DESCRIPTION    OF    AMERICAN    BERKSHIRE! 


Color  black,  with  white  feet,  small  white  line  in  face,  and  a  white  spot  at  tip  of 
tail.  (Occasionally  there  is  a  small  splashing  of  white  on  the  arm,  and  sometimes  spots 
occur  on  other  portions  of  the  body,  but  their  presence  is  regarded  with  disfavor,  and 
they  are  entirely  excluded  by  breeders  of  the  more  fashionable  strains.)  The  face  is 
short,  fine,  well  dished  and  broad  between  the  eyes;  ears  erect  or  inclining  forward, 
stiff  at  base,  but  so  thin  and  delicate  as  to  shake  and  tremble  with  every  movement  of 
the  animal;  jowl  heavy;  neck  short  and  thick;  shoulders  deep  and  full;  back  broad 
and  straight,  or  slightly  arched;  long  ribs  well  sprung,  giving  roundness  of  barrel, 
and  short  ribs  long  and  spreading,  giving  great  breadth  and  fulness  of  loin.     The  hips 


HERKSHIRES. 


228 


BERKSHIRES. 


are  long,  heavy,  round  and  deep,  bearing  their  flesh  well  down  to  the  hocks;  tail  fine, 
small  and  set  well  up  to  the  sacral  curve;  legs  short,  straight,  fine-boned  and  set  wide 
apart;  body  medium  to  long;  hair  fine,  rather  thin  in  fashionable  strains,  and  skin 
clastic  and  pliable. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  has  been  adopted  by  the  American  Berkshire 
Association  (Phil.  M.  Springer,  of  Springfield,  111.,  Secretary  ),  and  is  now  in  gene- 
ral use: 


Color 4 

Face  and  Snout 7 


Eye  .... 

Ear 

Jowl  ... 
Neck  .  .  . 
Hair.... 
Skin. .  .  , 
Shoulder 
Back  .  .  . 


Forward 47 

Sides 6 

Flank   ' 5 

Loin   9 

Ham 10 

Tail 2 

Legs 5 

Symmetry   6 

Condition 5 

Style 5 


For\vard 47 


Perfection 


100 


characteristics: 
The  Berkshires  possess  great  muscular  jDOwer  and  extraordinary  activity — this 
latter  feature,  indeed,  is  ver}'  generally  considered  a  serious  objection,  inasmuch  as  too 
great  activity  is  not  conducive  to  an  economical  production  of  fat.  The  sows  are 
noted  for  their  prolifity,  and  the  pigs  when  dropped  are  strong  and  lively.  They  may 
be  fattened  for  market  at  an}^  age  desired,  and  when  continuously  and  properly  fed 
attain  great  size  and  weight.  The  average  live  weight  of  well  kept  shoats  placed  on 
the  market  at  nine  to  twelve  months  old,  should  be  from  240  to  300  pounds.  When 
mature,  a  weight  of  from  500  to  650  pounds  is  not  uncommon.  Berkshire  boars  when 
used   in   crossing — or  in  grading  up  common  stock — transmit,  with  considerable  cer- 


BERKSHIRE   BOAR,   ROYAL   GRANITE,    10105. 

Property  of  Spkingek  Bkos.,  Sprinirtiuia.  111. 


BERK  SHI  RES — POLAND    CHIXAS. 


229 


BERKSHIRE   SOW,  ORIENT   MAUD,    I  1936. 

Property  of  Si'KIN(.ek  Bros.,  Si)riin,rt;cia,  111. 

tainty,  all  the  valuable  qualities  of  their  breed.  The  objections  urged  against  them 
nnay  be  summed  up  as  follows:  (1)  They  are  too  nervous  and  excitable,  requiring 
very  careful  handling  to  secure  best  results;  (2)  their  bone  is  too  small — rendering 
them  more  liable  to  mishaps,  such  as  hip-shot  and  broken  legs — than  are  the  larger- 
boned  breeds.  Where  Berkshires  are  carefully  handled  and  properly  fed,  we  know 
of  no  better  variety,  but  in  the  hands  of  the  ordinary  farmer,  where  attention  is 
denied  or  partially  withheld,  they  cannot  be  accorded  first — nor,  in  our  opinion,  even 
second  place. 

The  large  illustration,  kindly  furnished  for  our  use  by  the  Western  Agriculturist, 
of  Quincy,  111.,  is  a  fair  representation  of  the  breed,  as  are  also  the  portraits  of  Royal 
Granite  and  Orient  Maud. 


CHAPTER   LV. 


POLAXU-CHIXAS. 

The  Poland-China  breed  is  one  distinctively  American  in  origin  and  type- 
originating  chiefly  in  Warren  and  Butler  Counties,  Ohio,  where  the  type  was  soon 
fixed  by  the  enterprising  breeders  of  that  section.  It  became  known  as  a  breed 
locally,  under  various  names,— such  as  the  "Warren  County  II<>g"  and  the  "Big 
Spotted,"— about  1835  to  1840;  but  the  now  firmly  established  name,  "Pc.land- 
China,"  was  first  officially  adopted  by  the  National  Swine  Breeders'  Convention,  held 
at  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  in  1872. 

The  Big  Chinas— large  white  hogs  with  sandy  spots— were  taken  to  Warren 
Countv  in  1816;  the  Berkshires  were   introduced   about    l^HO:    th.-    Iri.h    (iraziers- 


'tiW  POLAND-CHINAS. 

white  hogs  with  sandy  eye  spots — about  1889;  and  the  By  fields — which  are  said  to 
resemble  the  Chinas  in  form — about  the  same  time.  From  a  judicious  blending  of 
these  different  breeds,  upon  a  basis  of  the  best  "native"  hogs,  supposed  to  have 
descended  largely  from  original  Poland  stock,  brought  in  b}-  early  settlers  from  Ger- 
many, we  have  the  present  Poland-China  breed. 

Improvement  of  the  breed  has  been  largely  the  result  of  jorivate  individual  enter- 
prise and  skill — Mr.  A.  C.  Moore,  now  of  Canton,  111.,  and  Mr.  D.  M.  Magie  of 
Oxford,  Ohio,  being  especially  deserving  of  notice  in  this  connection.  So  much, 
indeed,  have  their  labors  been  appreciated,  that  persistent  attempts  have  been  made  by 
respective  friends  of  these  two  gentlemen  to  name  the  breed  "  Moore  "  or  "  Magie," 
instead  of  Poland-China;  fortunately,  however,  the  name  is  too  firmly  settled  to 
admit  of  change  for  reasons  of  a  personal  nature,  and  the  friends  of  these  prominent 
breeders  must  be  content  with  simple  credit  for  their  recognized  eflicient  work. 

description: 

Color,  black  and  white  spotted,  sometimes  black,  sometimes  white  predominating; 
size,  large — mature  hogs  weighing  from  600  to  750  pounds,  and  shoats  at  eight  or 
nine  months  weighing  upwards  of  250  pounds.  The  nose  is  medium,  face  neatly 
dished,  head  small  in  proportion  to  body,  with  large,  thin,  drooping  ("lop")  ears  and 
full,  heavy  jowl.  The  neck  is  short,  back  straight,  shoulders  deep,  girth  large,  ribs 
well  arched,  loins  full  and  wide,  hams  very  heavy  and  legs  short,  with  good  sized, 
strong  bone.  In  some  specimens  the  hair  is  decidedly  curly,  but  in  a  majority  of 
cases  the  coat  is  straight  or  at  most  slightly  wavy,  covering  a  skin  of  similar  color  and 
medium  thickness. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  may  be  used  in  connection  with  the  description 
gfiven: 

Nose 4  Forward 51 

Head 4      Back 6 

Width  between  eyes 4      Ribs 9 

Ears 5      Loins 7 

Jowl 8      Hams 12 

Neck 4      Hair 4 

Shoulders 9      Width  of  body 5 

Girth  around  heart 9      Legs 6 

Depth  of  body 9 

Forward 51  Perfection 100 

The  scale  has  been  subjected  to  a  number  of  changes,  but  the  above,  we  believe, 
has  been  more  generally  accepted  than  other  arrangements. 

characteristics: 

The  Poland-China  has  a  stronger  following  among  western  farmers  than  has 
any  other  breed  of  swine,  and,  we  think,  justly  so;  they  are  large,  mature  reasonably 
early,  and  long  before  maturity  may  be  turned  into  pork  at  the  highest  market  price. 
They  are  uniformly  quiet,  even  lazy,  and  never  lose  flesh  by  reason  of  excitability. 
They  have  strong,  firm  bone,  permitting  a  heavy  load  of  fat,  and  rendering  them  less 


POLAXD-CHINAS 


>  > 


232  POLAND-CHINAS DUROC-JERSEYS. 

liable  to  mishaps  when   placed  with  fattening  steers.      On    the   whole   the   western 
farmer  can  hardly  find  a  better  hog. 

In  the  South  they  have  not  done  so  well ;  reports  from  central  and  southern  Texas 
indicate  that  the  Poland-China  is  out  of  his  element  when  taken  below  the  central 
part  of  the  state;  and,  in  this  respect,  must  admit  the  superioi^ity  of  his  red-haired 
brother  the  Duroc-Jersey.  Our  illustration  is  an  accurate  picture  of  a  magnificent  trio, 
bred  by  the  well-known  and  thoroughly  reliable  firm,  A.  C.  Moore  &  Sons,  Canton, 
Illinois. 


CHAPTER   LVI. 


DUROC-JERSEYS. 

In  the  following  history  of  their  origin,  we  are  largely  indebted  to  the  report  of 
Col.  F.  D.  Curtis,  Vol.  I  of  the  American  Duroc-Jersey  Record,  compiled  by  the  able 
Secretary  of  the  Association,  Chas.  H.  Holmes,  now  of  Beatrice,  Nebraska. 

At  the  first  meeting  of  the  National  Swine  Breeders'  Association  at  Indianapolis, 
Indiana,  1872,  a  committee  was  appointed  on  "Jersey  Red  Swine,"  from  whose 
report,  as  adopted  by  the  Convention,  we  clip  the  following: 

"The  positive  origin  of  this  family  of  swine  is  unknown.  They  have  been  bred  in  portions  of 
New  Jersey  for  upwards  of  50  years,  and  with  many  farmers  are  considered  to  be  a  valuable  variety. 
They  are  of  large  size,  and  capable  of  inaking  a  heavy  growth,  500  and  600  pounds  weight  being 
common.  Mr.  David  Pettit,  Salem,  Salem  County,  N.  J.,  has  known  of  these  hogs  for  thirty  years, 
and  Mr.  D.  M.  Brown  of  Windsor  for  nearly  fifty  years.  They  are  now  extensively  bred  in  the 
middle  and  southern  portions  of  New  Jersey.  In  neighborhoods  they  were  bred  quite  uniform, 
being  of  a  dark  red  color;  while  in  other  sections  they  were  more  sandy,  and  often  patched  with  white. 
They  are  probably  descended  from  the  old  importations  of  Berkshires,  as  there  is  no  record  of  the 
Tamworth — the  red  hog  of  England — ever  having  been  brought  to  this  country ;  nor  is  it  likely  as 
the  Tamworth  were  not  considered  valuable  swine,  and  were  confined  to  a  limited  breeding." 

The  name  "Jersey-Red"  was  first  used  about  1870  by  the  late  Joseph  R.  Lyman, 
at  that  time  Agricultural  Editor  of  the  ^ew  Tork  Tribune;  and  a  Mr.  Lippincott  of 
New  Jersey,  was  probably  the  first  breeder  to  advertise  under  the  name  thus  given. 

In  the  meantime,  another  strain  of  red  hogs  was  finding  favor  in  New  York 
under  the  name  "Duroc";  they  were  so  called  by  Isaac  Frink,  a  farmer  living  near 
Milton,  Saratoga  County,  N.  Y.  Mr.  Frink  secured  a  pair  of  the  pigs  in  1823  from 
Mr.  Kelsey, — the  then  owner  of  the  famous  stallion  Duroc, — who  stated  that  the  pigs 
were  "imported";  as  to  what  was  meant  by  the  expression  used,  we  can  only  infer, 
but  it  is  probable  that  if  "imported"  from  England,  a  name  would  have  been  imported 
with  them;  and  since  Mr.  Kelsey  called  them  simply  "Red  Pigs,"  we  are  justified 
in  believing  them  brought  from  a  distance — probably  Queens  Co.,  N.  Y.,  where  Mr. 
Kelsey  formerly  resided — but  not  imported  from  Europe.  Mr.  Frink  could  as  well 
have  named  them  "Kelsey"  as  Duroc,  but  the  fame  of  the  horse  so  overshadowed 
that  of  his  owner  as  to  doubtless  warrant  Mr.  Frink's  choice  of  a  name. 


DUROC-JERSEYS. 


233 


234  DUROC-JERSEYS. 

These  two  families  of  swine,  under  separate  names,  were  undoubtedly  of  the  same 
origin;  and  this,  probably,  is  found  in  the  old  red  type  of  Berkshire,  as  pictured  by 
Low,  in  his  "  Domestic  Animals  of  Great  Britain." 

That  the  two  names  represented  one  hog  had  been  long  recognized;  and,  after 
several  attempts  to  effect  an  organization,  the  Duroc  or  Jersey-Red  Swine  Club  met, 
in  first  annual  session,  at  the  Grand  Pacific  Hotel,  Chicago,  November  15th,  1883. 
During  this  meeting,  there  were  some  remarks  about  the  propriety  of  leaving  out  the 
word  "or"  in  the  name  of  the  Club,  which  finally  resulted  in  changing  the  name  to 
"Duroc-Jersey  Swine  Breeders'  Association,"  as  now  known. 

Improvement  of  the  breed  has  been  very  great,  especially  within  the  past  decade. 
The  old  Jersey  Red  or  Duroc  was  a  coarse,  heavy,  raw-boned,  lop-eared  and  "lank- 
sided"  animal,  whose  greatest  merit  lay  in  his  growth  and  feeding  qualities;  while 
his  modern  brother,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  next  topic,  is  among  the  best  of  economic 
breeds  of  swine. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color,  cherry  or  sandy  red,  without  admixture  of  other  tints;  nose  medium  to 
short;  face  slightly  dished,  wide  between  eyes;  ears  medium, drooping,  and  jowl  large, 
full  and  well  rounded.  The  neck  is  short;  shoulders  broad  and  deep— bounding  a 
chest  of  great  capacity;  back  broad,  and  neatly  moulded  to  long,  deep  ribs;  hams  very 
heavy  with  low  full  twist;  legs  medium  in  length,  with  strong  firm  bone;  tail  well  up 
but  rather  thick;  hair  soft,  straight  and  shining— the  whole  combined  with  an  action, 
not  nervous,  but  vigorous  and  sprightly.  To  those  who  are  familiar  with  the  Poland- 
Chinas,  we  might  briefly  state  that  the  Duroc-Jersey  resembles  them  very  closely  in 
nearly  all  points  except  color.  In  size  the  Duroc-Jersey  ranks  among  the  largest  of 
modern  breeds,  individuals  weighing  at  maturity  400  to  700  pounds,  and  marketing  at 
eight  or  nine  months  an  average  weight  of  from  175  to  250  pounds,  dressed. 

They  are  quiet,  ravenous  feeders,  good  grass  hogs,  and  bear  forcing  for  market 
as  well  as  any. 

In  the  South  they  have  no  superior,  at  least  among  the  large  breeds,  as  they 
never  sun-scald,  and  adapt  themselves  readily  to  climatic  conditions  under  which  even 
the  hardy  Poland-China  will  not  thrive. 

The  cross  of  the  Duroc-Jersey  on  the  Essex,  we  regard  as  of  more  value  for 
pork  than  the  pure  bloods  of  either  breed,  as  they  combine  the  size  and  forcing  quali- 
ties of  the  former  with  the  early  maturity  and  fattening  powers  of  the  latter,  in  a  very 
happy  manner. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points,  for  judging  Duroc-Jersey  swine,  to  be  used  in 
connection  with  description  already  given,  has  been  formally  adopted  by  the  Asso- 
ciation: 

Color 5  Forward 30 

Head 10      Shoulders 5 

fears 5      Chest 10 

Cheeks  (Jowl) 5      Back 10 

Neck  ....- 5      Sides 10 

Forward 30  Forward 65 


Forward 


Belly  , 
Hams. 
Legs  . 


DUKOC-JERSEYS  —  CHESTEK- WHITES. 

Forwanl 


,65 

.   5  Tail  . . 

10  Hair.. 

,    5  Action 


Forward , 


Perfect! 


Our  illustration  gives  an  excellent  idea  of  this  now  popular  lirccd  of  swine 


235 


.85 
.  5 
,  5 
,   5 


100 


CHAPTER   LVII. 


CHESTER  -  W  HI  T  E  S. 

The  breed  derives  its  name  from  the  place  of  its  origin— Chester  County,  Penn- 
sylvania; In  1818,  a  sea  captain— James  Jeffries  by  name— brought  over  from  Bed- 
fordshire, England,  a  pair  of  superior  white  pigs,  showing  bluish  spots  in  skin since 

known  as  "  Bedford  "  hogs — and  placed  them  on  his  farm  near  West  Chester,  Pa. 
These  pigs  and  their  progeny,  in  connection  with  the  Big  Chinas,  brought  to  Dcla- 
ware  County,  Pa.,  about  the  same  time,  were  used  by  the  farmers  of  Chester  County, 
in  grading  on  a  foundation  stock  of  large,  coarse  white  hogs— probably  descendants 
of  the    old    English   Large   Yorkshire — supposed  to  have  been  imported  about   1811, 


P^ 

WB»«d>^ 

■"^ 

^ 

jui 

,1  -J',   .  ,',    ,. 

? 

Ki 

: ,. 

^M 

P 

H^^ 

mmmam 

■ 

^%. 

CHESTER-WHITE    BOAR. 

Propert> cf  N.  (..  Ai.i WM.i  k,  D<.l.ivan,  III. 

until  after  many  years  of  careful  selection  and  judicious  inbreeding,  the  Chester- White 
breed  was  brought  befcwe  the  American  Farmer,  and  turned  over  to  him  for  further 
improvement. 

The  modern  Chester-White  is  well  known  throughout  the  Eastern  and  Jiiany  of 
the  Western  States,  and  has,  at  one  time  and  another,  found  a  place  in  most  of  the 
mixed-bred    herds   in    the   Mississippi  Valley.     The  writer  well    remembers  the  time 


236  CHESTER-WHITES. 

when  a  black  hog  was  looked  upon  with  more  or  less  disfavor  by  a  great  majority  of 
western  fai-mers;  and  the  Chester  was  at  that  time  the  hog  sought  for  to  improve  and 
maintain  the  herd.  One  of  the  most  prolific  and  valuable  brood  sows  we  have  ever 
known  was  of  this  breed,  a  sow  that  for  beauty  and  utility  combined,  would  be  hard 
to  surpass;  her  owner,  however,  not  fancying  the  white  color,  persisted  in  using  a 
black  boar,  and  declaring  that  the  magnificent  littei's  she  brought  owed  their  great 
excellence  to  the  sire. 

Improvement  of  the  Chester  has  been  very  constant.  Our  western  farmers  are, 
almost  to  a  man,  good  judges  and  good  handlers  of  swine;  and  those  who  have  not 
been  carried  away  during  the  last  fifteen  or  twenty  years  by  the  popular  tide  in  favor  of 
black  hogs  have  used  their  abilities  to  advantage  in  perfecting  the  Chester-White  breed. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color,  white — as  name  indicates — with  hair  of  medium  length,  mostly  straight, 
neatly  parted  on  the  median  line,  and  in  the  best  specimens,  showing  a  handsome  curl 
or  rosette  just  over  the  loins.  The  head  is  of  medium  length,  broad  between  the  eyes; 
ears  thin,  drooping,  pointed  well  forward,  and  showing  a  decided  bend  or  "  lop"  near 
the  point;  neck  short  and  thick;  jowl  large;  body  long  and  deep;  back  broad,  hams 
large  and  rounded;  legs  short  and  squarely  placed;  tail  small  with  brush  of  soft  hair, 
and  back  and  belly  lines  almost  parallel. 

In  size,  the  Chester-Whites  rank  with  the  largest,  weighing  at  maturity  600  or 
700  pounds,  and  marketing  at  eight  or  nine  months,  a  dressed  weight  of  175  to  250 
pounds.  They  do  not  claim  early  maturity,  but  no  hog  can  surpass  them,  in  favorable 
climate,  for  capacity  to  transform  corn  into  fat  pork  in  shortest  time  and  at  least 
expense.  They  are  quiet,  even  lazy,  and  make  excellent  animals  to  follow  steers  in 
the  feeding  pens.  The  brood  sows  produce  large  litters,  and  are  excellent  mothers — 
the  only  objection  we  have  ever  heard  on  this  point  being  that  they  are  apt  to  be  cross 
at  pigging  time,  which  is,  perhaps,  well  founded.  In  the  South,  they  have  no  place: 
the  white  breeds  of  swine  cannot  stand  the  severe  summer  sun  of  this  latitude  without 
danger  of  sun-scald,  mange,  or  other  troubles;  and,  while  there  are  many  breeders — 
and  partisan  ones  too — of  each  of  the  modern  white  breeds  in  the  South,  justice  toward 
all  interests  demands  the  above  statement. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  for  judging  Chester- White  swine,  has  been  for- 
mally adopted  by  the  National  Chester- White  Breeders'  Association,  and  should  be 
used  in  connection  with  description  already  given: 

Forward 54 

Loin 7 

Belly 4 

Flank 3 

Ham 10 

Tail 2 

Limbs 7 

Coat 3 

Action 5 

Symmetry 5 

Perfection 100 


»^oior 

Head 

6 

5 

Ears 

9, 

Jowl 2 

Neck 

3 

Brisket 

8 

Shoulders 

6 

Girth  at  heart 

10 

Back     

7 

Ribs 

6 

Forward 

54 

TODD  S    IMPROVED    C  HESTEK-WllITES. 


•287 


CHAPTER    LVIII. 


TODD'S  IMPROVED  CHESTER-WHITES. 

This  breed  has  lately  forced  itself  into  recognition  among  the  farmers  of  Ohio  and 
other  western  states;  and  we  can  do  no  less  than  grant  its  claim  to  the  title  of  "breed," 
since  it  is  already  proven  by  the  marked  similarity  of  its  pure-bred  offspring.  We  are 
not  personally  familiar  with  the  breed,  but  give  the  following  account  of  its  origin, 
and  a  description,  based  on  letters  from  breeders,  and  the  history  as  outlined  by  S.  H. 
Todd  in  Vol.  I,  Record  of  Todd's  Improved  Chester-White  Swine,  which  appeared 
in  1885. 

"  Kneeland  Todd,  took  a  boar  of  the  breed  known  as  '  Norfolk  Thin  Rind  '—black  belted  with 
white — and  a  white  sow  pig  of  the  Connecticut — so-called  'Grass  breed,'  to  Ohio  in  1884.  Isaac 
Hoskins  had  moved  to  Wakeman,  Ohio,  from  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  the  previous  year — 1833,  taking 
with  him  at  that  time,  a  boar  of  the  '  Byfield'  breed-large  white,  rather  leggy  and  slow  to  mature — 
and  a  sow  of  the  'Auterdale'  breed — probably  identical  with  the  'Grass  breed'  above  mentioned. 
These  two  gentlemen  bred  carefully  and  with  good  judgment,  and  finally  bred  the  best  animals  of 
each  herd  together.  At  this  juncture — 1848 — the  twin  brother  of  Kneeland  Todd,  bought  a  bojir 
from  Mr.  Mead  of  Norwalk,  Ohio,  of  what  Mr.  Mead  called  the  'Large  Grass  Breed,'  and  this  boar 
was  used  on  the  Todd-Hoskin  stock  with  great  success.  About  1862,  the  same  gentleman  purchased 
a  white  boar,  with  fine  curly  hair,  called  '  Normandy,'  said  to  be  of  French  origin.  This  proved  to  be 
a  valuable  addition,  and  the  combination  animal  thus  produced  became  quite  well  known  as  the 
'Todd  Hog'. 

"  Mr.  S.  H.  Todd— a  son  of  the  originator  of  the  Todd  hog  in  1867  began  crossing  these  animals 
with  pure  Chester-Whites,  using  in  all  some  six  or  seven  crosses,  and  finally  producing  what  is  now- 
known  as  the  Todd's  Improved  Chester-White." 


'irETniirovvned  01/  TI.'H'.WELCH  ,  Wflkemnn .  Oiiio. 

TODD'S    IMPROVED   CHESTER-WHITE   SOW. 


238 


TODD  S    IMPROVED    CHESTER-WHITES. 


DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color  white,  with,  occasionally,  bluish  spots  on  skin;  hair  fine  and  thick;  head 
small;  face  slightly  dished;  ears  fine,  thin  and  drooping;  jowl  full;  neck  short  and 
well  arched;  shoulder  heavy;  back  straight,  with  broad  loin;  ribs  well  sprung,  drop- 
ping to  deep  sides  and  low  flank;  hams  deep  and  rounded;  tail  small,  and  legs  fine 
boned  and  straight. 


'Ifmclby  J.  H.  HAT  ON,  £ucj/ri/5,  Ohio. 

TODD'S    IMPROVED   CHESTER-WHITE   SOW. 

The   following   Scale   of    Points  was  adopted  by  the  Record  Association  at  their 
annual  meeting,  January,  1885: 


Head 7 

Ear 2 

Jowl 4 

Neck 3 

Brisket 3 

Shoulder 6 

Girth  around   heart 9 

Back 6 

Side 7 

Ribs G 

53 


Forward 58 

Loin 7 

Belly 5 

Flank 3 


Ham 

Limbs , 

Tail 

Coat 

Color 

Symmetry. .  .  . 

Perfection 


100 


Forward 

Our  illustrations,  both  of  Chester-Whites  and  Todd's  Improved  Chesters,  can 
hardly  be  said  to  do  justice  to  their  respective  breeds,  but  will  serve  to  illustrate  what- 
ever of  difference  there  may  be  between  them.  Many,  indeed,  are  of  opinion,  that 
there  should  be  but  one  breed  of  Chester-White  swine,  and  maintain  that  the  two 
breeds  here  given  sep:?rate  Chapters  will  soon  be  combined  under  a  compromise 
standard  of  registration. 

Whether  such  may  prove  the  result,  or  not,  has  no  effect  on  the  present  status  of 
the  two  breeds;  they  are  given  a  separate  class  at  fairs  and  exhibitions,  and,  if  the 
combination  is  not  made  very  soon,  there  will  remain  small  probability  of  a  union  at 
any  time. 


GOTHLANDS VICTORIAS.  239 


CHAPTER    LIX. 


GOTHLANDS. 

This  breed,  new  to  America,  originated  in  Gothland,  Sweden,  and  is  said  to  be  of 
remarkably  pure  descent,  improved  by  care  and  selection,  with  few,  if  any,  outcrosses. 

The  first  importation  to  America  was  made  in  1880  by  S.  V.  Anderson,  who 
brought  over  a  few  head  as  an  experiment.  Since  that  time,  they  have  found  consider- 
able favor— mainly  in  Iowa  and  Illinois,  and  a  Registry  Association  has  lately  been 
organized,  of  which  Mr.  Grant  W.  Spear,  of  Aurora,  111.,  is  secretary.  We  are 
indebted   to   Messrs.  White  &  Conover  of  Lynnville,  Iowa,  for  the  following  detailed 

DESCRIPTION   AND  CHARACTERISTICS: 

"They  have  a  medium  sized  head,  rather  short  nose,  small  ear,  sHghtly  drooping,  or  leaning 
forward;  and  broad  between  ears,  and  with  stout  heavy  jaw.  Top  and  under  Hnes,  good,  girth  large, 
length  good,  loin  broad,  flank  deep,  with  heavy  ham  and  shoulders,  ham  extremely  good;  legs  rather 
short,  strong  and  well  set ;  hair  rather  fine  and  very  thick ;  skin  smooth  and  flexible ;  flesh  nicely  marbled 
and  of  excellent  quality,  with  small  per  cent  of  shrinkage  in  dressing.  Most  of  them  are  spotted 
black  and  white,  but  some  you  will  find  nearly  black,  while  others  are  nearly  white,  according  to  the 
fancy  of  the  breeder.  If  fed  mostly  on  nitrogenous  foods  they  will  grow  to  a  very  large  size;  or  if 
early  maturity  is  desired,  by  good  feeding  with  plenty  of  corn  and  skimmed  milk,  they  may  be 
brought  to  maturity  much  sooner,  often  weighing  350  to  400  pounds  at  one  year  of  age.  They  are 
not  coarse,  but  a  hog  of  medium  size;  neither  are  they  as  round  and  chubby  as  the  Yorkshire,  but 
have  a  much  larger  per  cent  of  lean  meat  and  muscle.  As  to  their  health,  they  have  proven  them- 
selves to  be  exceedingly  healthy  and  rugged ;  they  endure  our  winters  nicely,  as  they  are  a  native  of 
a  cold  climate.  They  are  a  quiet,  docile  animal,  about  like  the  Poland-China,  which  breed  they 
resemble  in  their  general  make-up  and  disposition,  more  than  any  other  of  our  native  breeds,  but  are 
stronger  and  more  vigorous.     They  make  excellent  mothers. 

"  They  are  an  excellent  hog  to  ship,  having  as  they  do  a  short  strong  leg,  strong  heavy  loin,  and 
rather  short  back.  Crippled  and  broken-down  hogs  are  very  scarce.  They  are  a  good  hog  to  follow 
cattle  as  they  are  not  easily  disabled." 


CHAPTER    LX. 


VICTORIAS. 

(originated    by     F.    D.    CL'RTIS.) 

There  are,  unfortunately,  two  distinct  and  separate  breeds  of  swine,  eac!>  called 
«  Victoria  "  Col.  F.  D.  Curtis  of  Charlton,  N.  Y.,-well  known  as  a  breeder  of  fine 
stock,  and  a  prolific  writer  on  agricultural  topics,-some  twenty-five  years  ago,  began 
a  system  of  crossing  with  several  varieties  of  English  swine,  in  the  hope  of  dropping 


240  VICTORIAS. 

the  objectionable  characteristics,  and  combining  the  good  points  of  each  in  a  separate 
breed.  In  this  he  has  been  successful,  so  far  as  fixedness  of  type  is  concerned,  his 
breed  receiving  the  following  recognition  and  complimentary  notice  from  the  National 
Swine  Breeders'  Convention,  1872: 

"The  family  of  pigs  known  as  Victorias,  originated  with  Col.  Frank  D.  Curtis,  Kirbj  homestead, 
Charlton,  Saratoga  Co.,  N.  Y.  Thej  were  made  by  crossing  the  Byfield  hog  with  the  native  in  which 
there  was  a  strain  of  the  Grazier.  Subsequent  crosses  were  made  with  the  Yorkshire  and  Suffolk ; 
the  result  being  a  purely  white  hog  of  medium  size.  The  name  has  no  significance,  unless  it  is 
intended  as  a  compliment  to  the  English  Queen.  These  pigs,  if  pure  bred,  should  all  have  a  direct 
descent  from  a  sow  called  Queen  Victoria,  which  may  be  said  to  be  the  mother  of  the  family.  She 
was  pronounced  by  good  judges  to  be  almost  perfect  and  was  the  winner  of  a  number  of  first  prizes." 

DESCRIPTION   AND  CHARACTERISTICS: 

We  ma}^  best  explain  their  peculiarities,  by  another  reference  to  the  above  report, 
signed  by  the  chairman  of  the  committee,  Chas.  E.  Leland: — 

"The  color  is  pure  white,  with  a  good  coat  of  soft  fine  hair;the  head  thin,  fine  and  closely  set 
on  the  shoulders;  the  face  slightly  dishing;  the  snout  short;  the  ears  erect,  small  and  very  light  or 
thin;  the  shoulders  bulging  and  deep;  legs  short  and  fine;  the  back  broad,  straight  and  level,  and  the 
body  long.  The  hams  round  and  swelling  and  high  at  the  base  of  the  tail,  with  plates  or  folds  between 
the  thighs;  the  tail  fine  and  free  from  wrinkles,  or  rolls;  feathers  or  rosettes  on  the  back  are  common ; 
the  skin  is  thin,  soft  and  elastic;  the  flesh  fine  grained  and  firm,  with  small  bone,  and  thick  side  pork. 
The  pigs  easily  keep  in  condition,  and  can  be  made  ready  for  slaughter  at  any  age." 

And  now  a  word  as  to  the  unfortunate  naming  of  these  two  distinctly  different 
breeds.  We  have  no  interest  in  either  breed,  and  shall  try  to  give  an  impartial  review 
of  the  case  from  both  sides.  To  this  end,  we  have  placed  them  under  separate  head- 
ings, distinguishing  each  breed  by  the  name  of  its  originator.  Would  it  not  be  the 
part  of  wisdom,  since  both  parties  seem  so  enamored  of  the  present  name — to  call  the 
breed  just  described  the  Curtis  Victorias,  and  the  other  the  Davis  Victorias, 
each  in  honor  of  its  founder?  The  breeds  are  certainly  different,  and  must  be  disasso- 
ciated in  the  public  mind.  We  make  the  suggestion  in  good  faith,  and  earnestly  hope, 
that  breeders  concerned  will  accept  at  least  something  equivalent. 


CHAPTER   LXI. 


VICTORIAS. 

(originated   by    GEO.    F.   DAVIS.) 

A  new  breed  produced  within  the  last  decade,  by  a  judicious  blending  of  the 
blood  of  four  different  breeds — Poland-China,  Chester-White,  Berkshire  and  American 
or  White  vSuffolk,  Previous  to  1882,  breeders  of  the  Davis  Victorias,  were  compelled 
to  show  their  animals  as  grades  at  fairs  and  Fat  Stock  Shows ;  but  at  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  Illinois  State  Board,  in  the  year  mentioned,  they  were  given  a  class  by 
themselves,  and   were  admitted  on  an  equal   footing   with   other  swine,  as  forming  a 


VICTORIAS. 


241 


DAVIS  VICTORIA   BOAR,   DANDY, 


)f  sweepstakes  . 


ill  breeds  sli 
pruperty  of 


W,.il,rs  Iiid.istr 
ivis,  Dyer,  Ind. 


d  Cotton  Kxpositii 


pure  and  distinct  breed.  At  the  Illinois  State  Fair  in  1882,  Mr.  G.  F,  Davis,  of  Dyer, 
Ind., — the  originator  of  the  breed, — exhibited  a  small  herd  in  competition  with  Chester- 
Whites,  winning  first  and  second  prizes  on  boars,  second  on  sows  under  one  year  old, 
and  in  the  breeders'  ring  the  herd  premium  of  $25.00  for  best  boar  and  four  sows. 
In  1885,  Mr.  Davis  exhibited  his  herd  at  the  World's  Industrial  and  Cotton  Exposition, 
New  Orleans,  La.,  his  seven  months  old  "Dandy"  (see  illustration)  winning  the 
gi-and  sweepstakes  over  all  breeds  shown.  Why  Mr.  Davis  adopted  the  name 
"Victoria"  we  cannot  see;  possibly  he  was  unaware  of  the  existence  of  the  Curtis 
Victorias,  already  described.  Certainly  Mr.  Curtis  has  a  prior  claim  to  its  use,  but  the 
point  must  be  settled  by  breeders,  and  we  predict  will  be  settled  to  the  satisfaction  of 
all  concerned. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CH  AH  ACTERISTICS  : 

Color,  white;  size  medium  to  large,  weighing  at  ten  to  twelve  months  8(K)  to  400 
pounds;  head  small  and  finely  dished,  not  so  short  as  the  White  Suffolk  or  Small 
Yorkshire, with  erect  or  only  slightly  drooping  ears,  and  heavy,  firm  jowl;  back  straight 
and  broad;  shoulders  deep  and  square;  hams  full  and  low,  and  legs  short,  with  fine 
but  firm  bone. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  was  adopted  by  the  Victoria  Swine  Urt-edcrs' 
Association,  at  the  Chicago  meeting,  June,  ISST: 


Color 2 

Head 8 

Ears 2 

Jowl 1 

Neck 8 


Forward 

Shoulders 

Girth  arounil  he: 

Back 

Sides 


II 


Forward 11 


Forward 42 


242  VICTORIAS CHESHIRES. 

Forward 42  Forward 77 

Ribs 7      Legs  3 

Loin 12      Feet 3 

Flank   2      Hair 3 

Ham 12      Action 4 

Tail 2      Symmetry 10 

Forward 77  Perfection 100 

Their  breeders  claim  for  them  an  unusual  economy  in  production  of  flesh.  The 
sows  produce  large  litters  and  are  good  mothers;  they  stand  board  floors  remarkably 
well,  and  it  is  claimed  that  they  are  not  so  susceptible  to  mange,  scurf,  sun-scald  and 
similar  troubles,  which  have  made  buyers — especially  in  the  South — fight  shy  of  white 
hogs  in  general.  There  is  ample  room  for  both  of  the  Victoria  breeds,  and  we  are 
glad  to  notice  their  rapid  advancement  in  public  favor  wherever  introduced. 


CHAPTER     LXII. 


CHESHIRES. 

At  our  request,  Mr.  R.  D.  Button,  a  leading  breeder  of  Cheshires,  Cottons, 
N.  Y,,  very  carefully  prepared  an  outline  of  history  and  characteristics  of  the  breed, 
and  the  article  so  nearly  expresses  our  own  opinions  that,  with  some  minor  changes, 
and  with  Mr.  Button's  permission,  we  publish  in  full : 

"Jefferson  Co.,  N.  Y.,  is,  without  doubt,  the  birth  place  of  this  breed  of  swine,  and  to  A.  C. 
Clark  is  universally  conceded  the  honor  of  having  given  them  a  name  and  character.  The  sires  he 
used  were  Yorkshires,  belonging  to  that  family  of  English  hogs  known  as  the  'Large  White'  breed. 
Breeders  are  not  all  agreed  as  to  what  dams  were  used;  many  believing  that  the  first  dam  was  a 
large  white  sow  imported  from  Cheshire,  Eng.,  to  Albany,  N.  Y.  She  was  taken  to  Jefferson  Co.,  by 
Mr.  A.  C.  Clark,  and  used  as  the  leading  factor  in  making  up  his  herd.  Mr.  Clark  was  a  breeder 
with  sound  judgment  and  good  sense,  and  he  early  perceived  the  docility  and  motherly  qualities  of 
this  dam  and  her  progeny,  and  by  judicious  crosses  and  careful  selections  he  in  time  produced  a  herd 
of  swine  that  were  uniform  in  size  and  characteristics.  His  herd  was  shown  at  many  of  the  leading 
fairs  of  New  York,  and  notwithstanding  the  fierce  rivalries  of  other  breeders,  Mr.  Clark  carried  away 
many  of  the  honors  for  large  white  breeds. 

"There  are  breeders  who  profess  to  believe  that  the  imported  sow  was  a  myth,  and  assert  that 
Mr.  Clark  used  only  the  best  white  sows  of  his  neighborhood,  and  when  he  found  a  better  sow  than 
his,  he  bought  and  used  her,  if  she  proved  a  satisfactory  breeder.  We  are,  however,  of  the  belief  that 
the  Albany  sow  was  a  truth  and  verity,  and  found  that  belief  on  repeated  statements  of  Ezra  J.  Clark 
(Son-in-law  of  A.  C.  Clark,  and  afterward,  owner  of  his  herd),  with  whom  we  were  intimately  asso- 
ciated for  a  number  of  years  in  breeding,  selling  and  exhibiting  Cheshire  swine.  Mr.  Ezra  J.  Clark 
always  maintained  that  A.  C.  Clark  bought  and  used  the  Albany  sow  as  his  prime  factor,  and  all 
reports  of  buying  and  using  only  native  sows  had  their  origin  in  the  fertile  brains  of  rival  breeders 
and  exhibitors.  Between  1850  and  1865  Mr.  Clark  was  a  leading  breeder  and  exhibitor  in  New  York, 
and  fought  both  wordy  and  legal  battles  for  his  favorites.  Business  complications  arising,  he  sold  his 
interest  and  good  will  to  Ezra  J.  Clark  who  associated  with  him  Mr.  McLean,  and  afterward  Daniel 


CHESHIRES. 


US 


Green,  under  the  firm  name  Clark  &  Green.  In  1870  this  firm  made  an  exhibit  at  the  leading  western 
fairs,  ending  with  the  great  St.  Louis  Fair,  where  they  won  the  $500.00  offered  by  the  pork  packers, 
for  the  best  herd  for  packers  uses.  This  breed  had  been  widely  disseminated  during  these  exhibitions, 
but  the  low  price  for  pork  during  the  following  years  was  so  discouraging,  that  many  sold  or 
butchered  their  stock,  and  engaged  in  more  remunerative  pursuits.  The  old  Clark  herd  was  still 
retained  in  its  purity,  although  greatly  reduced  in  numbers. 

"About  1875,  several  parties  in  Madison  Co.,  N.  V.,  were  engaged  in  breeding  Cheshires;  and, 
with  different  ideas  of  what  a  Cheshire  should  be,  bred  for  earlier  maturity,  and  a  shorter  bodv  and 
head.  About  1882  a  few  of  the  prominent  breeders  began  to  talk  of  forming  a  register,  and  in  Jan., 
1883,  a  call  was  issued  for  breeders  to  meet  at  Syracuse,  N.  Y.  But  little  was  accomplished,  however, 
owing  to  jealousies  between  the  different  sections  and  breeders.  Several  subsequent  meetings  were 
held,  and  by  mutual  concessions,  it  was  agreed  to  adopt  the  following 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS  : 

"  Head  short  to  medium  in  length,  short  In  proportion  to  length  of  body ;  face  somewhat 
dished  and  wide  between  the  eyes;  ears  small,  erect,  in  old  animals  often  pointing  slightly  forwards; 
neck  short;  shoulders  broad  and  full,  hips  broad;  body  long,  broad  and  deep;  hams  broad,  nearly 
straight  with  back,  and  running  well  down  towards  hock;  legs  small  and  slim,  set  well  apart,  and 
supporting  the  body  on  the  toes;  tail  small  and  slim  ;  hair  fine,  medium  in  thickness  and  quantity; 
color  white,  a  few  blue  spots  in  skin  not  to  disqualify,  but  objectionable.  When  grown  and  well 
fattened,  should  dress  from  400  to  600  lbs. 

Scale  of  Points:     To  be  used  with  description  given  above: 


Head 

Face 

Ears 

Neck 

Shoulders. 

Hips 

Body 


Forward . 


Forward 56 

Hams 10 

Legs 10 

Tail 5 

Hair 5 

Color ...    4 

General  appearance 10 

Perfection 100 


"  Cheshires  are  now  given  a  separate  class  at  most  of  the  large  fairs,  and  are  regularly  shown  at 
the  various  exhibitions  in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania  and  other  States." 

Another  opinion  reaches  our  hands  as  to  the  origin  of  Cheshire  swine;  and  com- 
ing, as  it  does  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  E.  W.  Davis,  of  Oneida,  N.  Y.,  secretary  of  the 


CHESHIRE   BOAR. 

.ptrtv  tt   v..  \\  .  Dam-,  OiiciiLi,  N 


244 


CHESHIRES SMALL    YORKSHIRES. 


^MMi^m-^^^m 


CHESHIRE   SOW. 

Property  of  E.  W.  D.wis,  Oneida,  X.  V. 

Cheshire  Swine  Breeders'  Association,  we  have  taken  the  hberty  to  make  the  follow- 
ing extract: 

"The  hog  known  as  Cheshire,  was  first  bred  by  A.  C.  Clark,  of  Jefferson  Co.,  N.  Y.  He 
commenced  with  an  imported  Large  Yorkshire  boar,  and  bred  upon  the  best  common  sows  he  could 
find.  These  common  sows  were  all  white,  and  were  grade  Suffolk,  Small  Yorkshire  etc.;  selections 
were  carefully  made  from  these,  and  after  a  time,  another  Large  Yorkshire  boar  from  imported  stock 
was  used.  There  was  a  story  that  a  sow  was  imported  from  Cheshire,  England,  but  that  is  wholl)'  a 
myth.  I  have  investigated  the  matter  carefully,  and  those  who  ought  to  know  if  there  was  ever  any 
such  importation  know  nothing  of  it,  and  unhesitatingly  say,  there  was  never  any  such  importation." 

The  above  shows  plainly  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  reputed  "  Cheshire  "  or 
"Albany"  sow;  as  it  is  simply  a  matter  of  belief  with  both  parties — no  definite  proof 
being  available  on  either  side — we  prefer  to  give  the  opinions  as  we  receive  tliem, 
without  further  comment  than  to  say  that  both  gentlemen  are  known  to  be  careful, 
reliable  breeders,  thoroughly  impressed  with  the  superior  merits  of  their  favorite 
swine.  In  the  South,  Cheshires  are  scarcely  known  at  all,  and  would  doubtless  fall 
heir  to  the  same  troubles  which  have  thrown  other  white  breeds  into  disfavor  with 
southern  farmers. 

The  illustrations  of  Daisy  2nd  and  Vulcan — which  were  engraved  after  accurate 
sketches  from  life — give  a  good  idea  of  the  appearance  of  the  breed.    Mr.  Davis  writes: 

"They  are  not  fancy  pictures,  but  are  the  work  of  one  of  the  best  artists,  and  I  instructed  him 
to  reproduce  the  animals  exactly." 


CHAPTER    LXIII. 


SMALL    YORKSHIRES. 

This   breed,   which    is   quite   well   known   in    the    United    States,   may  be  traced 
directly  to  the  old  York  and  Cumberland  breeds  of  England;  indeed,  it  may  be  well 


SMALL    YORKSHIRES. 


245 


246 


SMALL    YORKSHIRES. 


claimed  by  their  breeders,  that  the  Small  York  is  of  line  joure  descent.  Probably  no 
other  breed  of  modern  times,  save,  perhaps,  the  Essex,  is  more  nearly  thoroughbred 
in  fact,  or  has  less  admixture  of  other  blood.  The  breed  is  peculiar  to  Yorkshire, 
England,  and  has  been  known  as  such  for  many  years. 

Introduction  into  the  United  States  was  first  accomplished  about  the  year  1860; 
but  it  is  only  within  the  last  few  years  that  the  Small  Yorks  have  attracted  much 
attention  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic.  A  record  has  been  established  (Geo.  W.  Harris, 
of  New  York  City,  is  the  present  Secretary),  and  the  breed  is  quite  prominently 
advertised  in  most  of  our  agricultural  and  live  stock  publications. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

Color,  pure  white  with  pinkish  skin,  occasionally  darker  spotted  under  the  hair; 
size,  small  to  medium — weighing,  when  mature,  from  375  to  450  pounds.  The  body 
is  short,  rounded  and  deep;  head,  short;  face,  sharply  dished;  jowl  and  neck  heavy; 
short  fine  legs,  and  thick  rounded  quarters.  They  are  hardy,  and  well  covered  with 
hair — hence  not  so  liable  to  mange  and  sun-scald  as  are  many  of  the  white  breeds; 
they  are  quiet,  excellent  range  or  grazing  hogs;  and  are  remarkably  prepotent — the 
pigs  from  York  boars  being  uniformly  white,  and  possessing  the  early  maturing  quali- 
ties of  the  breed  in  marked  degree.  In  the  South,  the  Small  Yorks  do  as  well  as  any 
of  the  white  breeds,  but  cannot  compete  with  their  colored  rivals  in  hardiness. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  has  been  adopted  by  the  American  Small  York- 
shire Club: 

r  Small 2  1 

Nose,  Shortness  of 5 

Head J    Dish  of  Face 3   I    15— Head. 

I   Width  between  the  Ears 3 

[  Ears— Small,  Thin  and  Erect 2  j 

Top  line  Straight  from  Shoulder  to  Tail 5 

Bottom,  or  Belly  line 3 

Length 10 

Trunk ^    Depth 5   ^    35— Trunk. 

Width,  even  from  Shoulder  to  Ham 5 

Breadth  of  Loin 5 

I-  Flank,  Deep  and  Full 2 


Hams 


Length,  Vertical 10 

Breadth,  Front  to  Rear 5 

Thickness 10 


C   Breadth,  Front  to  Rear 

Shoulders \ 

(    Ihickness 


Legs. 


3 

2 

\   Short 5 

f   Straight,  feet  set  up 5 


25— Hams. 


5 — Shoulder.' 


10— Legs. 


gj^  \   Not  ioo  thin,  nor  ridgy  nor  coarse 2  ) 

(   Free  from  eruption  and  discolored  spots 3   ) 

Hair <;    Full  coat  and///<? 5   y 

Perfection 

Our  illustration  is  a  good   likeness  of  the  noted  prize-winning  boar  Success  2nd, 
property  of  W.  C.  Norton,  Agent,  "  Ridge  Farm  Herd,"  Aldenville,  Pa. 


5— Skin. 
5— Hair. 
100 


247 


CHAPTER    LXIV. 


ESSEX. 


This  breed  takes  its  name  from  the  county  or  shire  of  Essex,  England,  wiiere  it 
originated.  The  old  Essexshire  hog  was  large,  gaunt  and  "slab-sided,"  with  a  color 
varying  for  each  individual  animal.  About  1830,  Lord  Western  imported  from  Italy, 
a  boar  and  sow  of  the  breed  of  Naples.  According  to  Professor  Long,  he  failed  in 
his  attempts  to  breed  these  black  Neapolitans  pure,  and  finally  began  crossing  on  the 
native  breed.     From  Long's  book  of  the  Pig,  we  quote: 

"The  result  was  highlv  satisfactory,  and  the  new  variety  was  commonly  successful  at  ever > 
agricultural  show  at  which  they  were  exhibited." 


ESSEX    SOW. 

Property  of  I-i<  ank  W  ii.snN.  J.ickson,  Mich. 

Lord  Western  bred  them  a  number  of  years,  but  they  at  last  began  to  lose  some- 
what their  vigorous  thrift  and  hardy  constitution.  At  this  juncture  a  tenant  of  his 
lordship— Mr.  Fisher  Hobbes— turned  his  attention  to  their  breeding,  still  further 
improved  them,  fixed  the  type,  and  called  them  the  «  Improved  Essex." 

In  America,  the  Essex  has  become  well  known,  particularly  so  at  the  South  — 
Col.  Richard  Peters,  of  Atlanta,  Ga.,  being  one  of  the  first  importers,  and,  with  Mr. 
Harris,  of  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  steadily  pushing  the  Essex  breed  with  all  energy.  In  a 
recent  letter  to  the  Author,  Col.  Peters  says: 

"I  commenced  breeding  from  the  English  stock  in  the  year  1856,  and  have  kept  them  pure 
with  some  of  the  original  blood  in  their  veins,  having  obtained,  with  n.uch  dithculty,  an  occaMonal 
pure-bred  to  avoid  close  in-and-in  breeding." 

DESCRIPTION-    AND    CH  AKAC  TEKISTICS  : 

The  modern   American-bred  Essex,  is  a  small   to   m.-.li..m   si/ed   hog,  weighing 


248  ESSEX. 

from  250  to  400  pounds  at  maturity,  black,  or  more  properly,  ash-black  in  color — with 
fine  head,  short  nose,  beautifully  dished  face,  erect  thin  ears,  heavy  jowl,  short  neck, 
close  "  chunked"  body,  and  short,  firm  boned  legs.  They  fatten  easily,  range  well, 
are  not  troubled  with  mange  or  sun-scald,  and  dress  as  large  a  proportion  of  live  weight 
as  any  known  breed.  Where  the  larger  hogs  thrive,  and  corn  is  cheap,  as  in  the 
western  United  States,  we  doubt  much  if  the  Essex  can  ever  compare  profitably  with 
the  Poland-China  or  Duroc-Jersey ;  but  in  the  South,  where,  unfortunately.  Cotton  is 
still  King,  we  have  not  found  its  equal.  We  have  heard  some  objections  to  the  Essex 
because  he  "  gets  too  fat;"  we  can  only  suggest,  in  answer  to  this,  that  we  beg  to  be 
excused  from  a  close  acquaintance  with  a  hog  that  gets  too  lean;  tendency  to  fatten 
quickly  means  giving  a  greater  return  for  food  invested.  In  an  experiment  conducted 
under  the  direction  of  the  Author,  1884,  it  was  found  that  it  took  the  following 
weights  of  food  to  produce  100  pounds  of  gain — live  weight — with  representatives 
of  four  different  breeds: 

Essex,       -         -         285  pounds  to  produce  100  pounds  gain. 
Duroc-Jersey,       -     296         "  "  "  « 

Poland-China,  300         "  «  «  « 

Berkshire,    -         -     485         "  "  "  « 

The  Duroc-Jerseys  were  not  quite  pure  bred,  having  a  strain  of  Poland-China 
in  their  veins;  the  Berskhires  were  placed  at  a  disadvantage  by  reason  of  a  slight 
indisposition  so  that  really  they  should  be  thrown  out  of  the  experiment  altogether, 
but  the  Essex — thoroughbreds — showed  the  high  assimilating  power  of  the  breed  in 
a  very  substantial  manner.  For  the  southern  farmer,  we  cannot  recommend  a  better 
hog  than  the  Essex,  unless  the  Duroc-Jerseys  shall,  as  they  promise,  still  further 
improve.  An  American-Essex  Breeders  Association  has  been  lately  organized,  with 
W.  M.  Wiley  of  New  Augusta,  Ind.,  Secretary,  and  the  following   Scale  of  Points 

Forward 49 

Loin   12 

Flank 2 

Ham l^ 

Tail 2 

Legs 3 

Feet 3 

Hair -. 3 

Symmetry 10 

Action 4 

Perfecton 100 


has  been  adopted : 

Color 

>2 

Head 

3 

Ears 

2 

Jowl 

1 

Neck 

3 

Shoulders 

Girth  around  heart 

Back 

6 

12 

Sides 

0 

Ribs 

Forward 

49 

NEAPOLITANS ENGLISH,  OR    liLACK    SUFFOLK.  249 


CHAPTER    LXV. 


NEAPOLITANS. 

The  Neapolitan,  although  not  bred  at  present  in  the  United  States  (unless,  per- 
haps, a  few  may  be  found  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York),  deserves  a  place  amonor  the 
breeds  now  known  in  America,  from  the  fact — if  for  no  other  reason— of  its  having 
taken^o  important  a  part  in  the  foundation  of  the  Essex  breed.  The  Neapolitan  is  a 
native  of  Italy,  and  is  supposed  to  be  descended  from  eastern  stock,  brought  in  by  the 
early  Italian  voyagers.  Youatt  (Youatt  on  "The  Pig")  says  of  the  Neapolitans, 
that  they  are  "black,  or  rather  brown,  with  no  bristles,  and  consequently  delicate 
when  first  introduced  into  our  northern  climate."  They  resemble  the  modern  Essex 
somewhat,  but  are  almost  destitute  of  hair,  and  the  head  and  front  parts  are  lio-hter 
and  more  bony.  From  the  report  of  the  National  Swine  Breeders'  Convention, 
Nov.  20th,  1872,  we  clip  the  following  detailed 

DESCRIPTION    OF    THE    NEAPOLITAN: 

"  Head  small;  forehead  bony  and  flat;  face  slightly  dishing;  snout  rather  long  and  verv  slender; 
ears  small ,  thin,  standing  forward  nearly  horizontal,  and  quite  lively ;  jowls  very  full ;  neck  short, 
broad,  and  heavy  above;  trunk  long,  cylindrical  and  well  ribbed  back;  back  flat  and  ribs  arching  even 
in  low  flesh;  belly  horizontal  on  the  lower  line;  hind  quarters  higher  than  the  fore,  but  not  very 
much  so;  legs  very  fine,  the  bones  and  joints  being  smaller  than  those  of  any  other  breed;  hams  and 
shoulders  well  developed  and  meaty;  tail  fine,  curled,  flat  at  the  extremity,  and  fringed  with  hair  on 
each  side;  general  color,  slaty  or  bluish-plum  color,  with  a  cast  of  coppery  red ;  skin  soft  and  fine, 
nearly  free  from  hair,  which,  when  found  upon  the  sides  of  the  head  and  behind  the  fore-legs,  is 
black,  soft  and  rather  long;  flesh  firm  and  elastic  to  the  touch." 

They  are  considered  too  delicate  for  American  farmers,  and  will  probably  never 
be  extensively  introduced,  unless  the  breed  should  undergo  an  almost  complete  trans- 
formation. 


CHAPTER    LXVI. 


ENGLISH,  OR   liLACK  SUFFOLK. 

In  America,  there  is  such  a  common  impression  that  the  Suffolk  is  a  white  hog, 
that  it  is  necessary  to  treat  of  the  two  breeds  under  different  heads.  We  have  never 
-een  a  specimen  of  the  pure  Black  Suffolk,  but  we  give  a  description  based  upon  that 
given  bv  the  best  English  authors  of   modern    times.     The   origin  of   the   breed  is  at 


250  ENGLISH,  OR    BLACK    SUFFOLK AMERICAN,  OR   WHITE   SUFFOLK. 

best  doubtful;  probably  tbe  Neapolitans  formed  much  of  the  basis  of  modern  Suffolk 
excellence,  and  indeed  some  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  Essex,  Black  Dorset,  and 
Black  Suffolk  are  merely  different  strains  of  the  same  breed.  According  to  descrip- 
tions and  portraits,  it  would  seem  that  the  Dorset  very  closely  resembles  the  Essex, 
but  not  so  with  the  Black  Suffolk,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  following 

DESCRIPTION     AND    CHARACTERISTICS: 

The  head  is  short;  snout  turning  up,  not  quite  so  much  as  in  the  Small  Yorks, 
but  yet  showing  much  of  similarity  to  that  well-known  breed.  The  body  is  deep 
with  well  sprung  ribs  dropping  to  flattened  sides,  and  short,  sm  11  boned  legs  from 
bulging  quarters.  Their  characteristics  may  be  summed  up  as  follows:  Early 
maturity;  medium  size,  great  aptitude  to  fatten,  high  dressing  qualities,  and  a  black 
color  which  withstands  the  effect  of  summer  heat. 

We  are  not  aware  that  any  of  the  Black  or  English  Suffolks  are  bred  in  the 
United  States,  The  breed  might  find  some  favor  here,  but  their  white  namesakes 
have  become  so  well  known  and  so  widely  disseminated,  that  it  would  be  well  nigh 
impossible  at  this  late  day  to  change  the  nomenclature  of  the  breed. 


CHAPTER    LXVII. 


AMERICAN,  OR  WHITE  SUFFOLK. 

Is  an  undoubted  descendant  of  the  English  York  and  Cumberland  breeds,  resem- 
bling the  Small  Yorkshire  of  to-day  so  closely  in  all  points  except  size — Suffolks  being 
somewhat  larger — as  to  preclude  any  necessity  for  further  description.  Many  writers 
class  the  Suffolk  and  Cheshire  together  as  representatives  of  the  "  Middle  White  "  breed 
of  England.  We  believe,  however,  that  Professor  Long,  in  his  "  Book  of  the  Pig," 
comes  nearer  the  truth,  when  he  states  that  the  Suffolk  as  a  white  hog  is  only  recog- 
nized in  America,  whereas  in  England — its  supposed  home — it  has  been  absorbed  into 
what  he  calls  the  "English  Small  White  Breed,"  of  which  the  Small  Yorkshire  is 
the  representative  in  America. 

If  we  were  to  state  any  point  of  difference,  other  than  noted  above,  between 
Suffolks  and  Small  Yorks,  it  would  be  to  compare  faces.  Yorkshire  breeders  have 
shortened  in  the  face,  and  made  a  trifle  sharper  » dish "  than  is  the  case  with  the 
Suffolk.  The  latter  is  about  the  best  type  of  the  old  Chinese  hog  that  we  now  have, 
and  displays  such  a  tendency  to  extreme  fat — "chuffiness" — as  to  amount,  with  many, 
to  a  decided  objection.  From  the  report  of  the  National  Swine  Breeders'  Conven- 
tion, 1872,  we  quote  the  following  detailed 

DESCRIPTION    OF    AMERICAN    SUFFOLK: 

"  Head  small,  very  short;  cheeks  prominent  and  full;  face  dished;  snout  small  and  very  short; 
jowl  fine;  ears  short,  small,  thin,  upright,  soft  and  silky;  neck  very  short  and  thick,  the  head  appear- 
ing almost  as  if  set  on  front  of  shoulders,  no  arching  of  crest;  chest  wide  and  deep — elbows  standing 


AMERICAN,  OR  WHITE   SUFFOLK HINTS  ON   SELECTION,  CARE,   ETC.  251 

out;  brisket  wide  but  not  deep;  shoulders  thick,  rather  upright,  rounding  outwards  from  top  to 
elbow;  crops  wide  and  full;  long  ribs,  well  arched  out  from  back;  good  length  between  shoulders 
and  hams;  flank  well  filled  out,  and  coming  well  down  at  ham;  back  broad,  level,  straight  from  crest 
to  tail,  no  falling  off  or  down  at  tail;  hams  wide  and  full,  well  rounded  out,  twist  very  wide  and  full 
all  the  way  down;  legs  small  and  very  short,  standing  wide  apart — in  sows,  just  keeping  belly  from 
the  ground;  bone  fine,  feet  small,  hoofs  rather  spreading;  tail  small,  long  and  tapering;  skin  thin,  of 
a  pinkish  shade,  free  from  color;  hair  fine  and  silky,  not  too  thick;  color  of  hair  pale  yellowish  white, 
perfectly  free  from  any  spots  or  other  color;  size,  small  to  medium." 


CHAPTER    LXVIII. 


HINTS  ON  SELECTION,  CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  SWINE. 

The  breeding  and  handling  of  swine  is  something  of  far  more  importance  than 
is  generally  supposed  by  a  great  majority  of  our  farmers — those  who  should  be,  really, 
best  informed  on  the  subject.  The  amount  of  pork  that  is  consumed  yearly  in  the 
United  States  is  enormous,  and  gives  something  of  an  idea  of  the  magnitude  of  the 
swine  industry.  Many  seem  to  think  that  the  breeding  of  swine  requires  only  a  little 
of  the  skill  and  foresight  which  is  recognized  as  being  of  prime  necessity  in  the  hand- 
ling of  any  of  the  other  races  of  domestic  animals;  but  to  such  as  have  tried  it  we 
need  not  say  the  idea  is  a  mistaken  one.  True  it  is,  that  not  so  much  of  close  attention, 
and  tender  petting  and  care  to  keep  them  from  the  rugged  blasts  of  winter,  and  the 
fierce,  scalding  heat  of  summer,  is  always  given;  but  it  may  be  stated  as  an  axiom, 
that  good  care  pays  as  well  with  hogs  as  it  does  with  any  other  race  of  live  stock. 
There  is  something  fascinating  about  the  feeding  and  handling  of  a  yard  full  of  swine 
— a  sort  of  pleasurable  excitement  in,  day  by  day,  watching  their  growth,  and  noting 
their  greedy  appetites.  Someway,  the  farmer  always  feels  that  an  animal  is  gaining 
when  it  eats,  and  a  hog  that  wont  eat  is  not  the  one  that  makes  the  profit  for  his 
owner. 

We  may  state  it  as  an  indisputable  fact,  that  no  other  animal  sustains  such  a  close 
relation  to  the  farmer's  profit  and  loss  account,  as  does  the  hog,  and  the  reason  is 
obvious;  there  is  always  more  or  less  waste — generally  more — about  a  farm-house, 
that  cannot  be  utilized  in  any  other  way  than  by  feeding  it  to  hogs.  It  matters  not 
how  careful  the  farmer's  wife  may  be,  she  cannot  prevent  this  constant  waste  from  the 
table,  and  the  pig-pen  is  the  natural  and  legitimate  avenue  through  which  it  can  be 
turned  to  account.  Every  gallon  of  house-slop  has  a  certain  definite  value,  and, 
although  it  is  impossible  to  rate  its  worth  in  dollars  and  cents  on  account  of  the  fact 
that  there  is  great  difference  in  richness  of  the  portions  thrown  from  different  tables, 
yet  we  may  say  in  a  general  way,  every  four  to  seven  gallons  of  such  waste  is  equiva- 
lent to  one  pound  of  pork  when  properly  fed  in  connection  with  grain  or  other  food 
stuffs. 

Perhaps  the  most  common  mistake   made   by  the  average  farmer,  is  to  adopt  one 


252  HINTS  ON  SELECTION,  CARE   AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  SWINE. 

of  two  extremes — either  feed  entirely  on  dry  corn,  all  the  animals  will  eat,  or  allow 
them  to  range  freely  on  what  is  supposed  to  be  good  grass,  and  expect  them  to 
grow  fat  and  contented  without  other  food.  In  the  first  place,  no  hog  can  stand 
full  feeding  on  dry  corn  alone  for  many  weeks  in  succession;  he  may  not  become 
diseased,  so  far  as  appearance  and  action  are  concerned,  but  the  fevered  condition 
due  to  feeding  corn  exclusively  is  sure  to  be  there,  and  only  time  is  required  to 
bring  it  out.  Do  not  think  that  we  would  underrate  the  value  of  corn  in  fattening 
hogs — we  are  too  well  aware  of  its  importance  in  swine  feeding  to  make  any 
statements  that  are  not  pretty  strongly  based  on  a  good  foundation — but  we  do 
question  whether,  as  generally  fed,  there  is  not  more  loss  than  gain  in  its  use.  It  is  a 
mistake  to  suppose  that  when  corn  is  cheap  it  can  be  fed  at  a  profit,  regardless  of  other 
conditions;  the  hog  demands  a  variety,  and  will  not  give  greatest  return  for  time  and 
food  invested,  unless  this  variety  is  given.  More  than  this,  the  hog  requires  bulky 
food,  not  highly  concentrated,  and  to  provide  this,  something  besides  corn  is  necessary. 

Concerning  the  second  practice,  we  may  say :  In  a  large  section  of  the  country, 
hogs  are  allowed  to  range  on  grass,  and  are  fed  corn  to  "  harden  the  flesh,"  and  pre- 
pare the  animal  for  market;  such  treatment  is  little  better  than  the  other  extreme,  for 
it  is  no  longer  a  disputed  point,  that  hogs,  full-fed  on  proper  diet,  will  make  a  much 
greater  relative  return  for  food  consumed,  than  if  the  same  food  is  given,  but  in  smaller 
quantity.  We  cannot  protest  too  strongly  against  the  custom  of  allowing  hogs  to  run 
wild  the  first  year  (stock-hogs),  and  feeding  heavily  for  a  short  time  just  before  plac- 
ing on  the  market;  it  is  a  waste  in  two  directions:  (1)  loss  of  time,  and  consequent 
loss  of  interest  on  investment;  and  (2)  a  very  great  loss  by  reason  of  the  constant 
exertion  required  to  secure  whatever  sustenance  they  may  from  the  grass  at  their  com- 
mand; all  exertion  is  work,  and  all  work  has  a  natural  tendency  to  decrease  the  pro- 
duction of  fat.  It  is  urged  in  favor  of  this  system,  that  while  the  hog  is  running  at 
large,  he  is  growing,  and  that  if  fed  for  early  market,  this  growth  will  be  lost;  those 
who  argue  on  this  line  forget  that  the  object  in  raising  stock  of  any  kind,  is  to  realize 
the  greatest  profit  in  the  shortest  possible  space  of  time.  There  is  only  one  reason 
(perhaps  two)  that  should  cause  a  farmer  to  carry  over  a  stock  of  hogs  to  fatten 
the  succeeding  winter,  and  that  is,  market:  we  have  always  been  of  opinion  that 
farmers  are  to  blame,  primarily,  for  the  low  prices  at  which  their  pork  is  sold;  if  they 
would  get  out  of  the  old  ruts,  and  pay  off  their  debts  in  some  other  way  than  by 
sacrificing  a  crop  at  the  lowest  point  of  the  market  to  do  it,  they  would  soon  be  in 
condition  to  bid  defiance  to  the  periodical  depressions  that  affect  the  market;  every 
farmer  should  study  the  maket  as  closely  as  he  studies  the  weather,  and  when  there  is 
good  promise  of  better  prices  in  the  future,  it  may  be  profitable  to  hold. 

Another  thing  which  is  in  favor  of  early  and  high  feeding,  is  the  fact  that  buyers 
pay  more  per  pound  for  shoats — say,  eight  to  ten  months  old,  and  this  class  of  hogs 
is  always  in  demand  when  old  and  "short-fed"  hogs  can  hardly  be  sold  at  any  price. 
To  the  practice  of  growing  and  selling  the  hog  crop  between  tax  dates — defrauding 
Uncle  Sam  out  of  his  dues — we  cannot  forbear  calling  attention.  The  plan  may  be  of 
doubtful  propriety,  but  so  long  as  taxes  are  rendered  at  a  certain  date  each  year,  the 
farmer  can  avoid  taxes  on  his  entire  fat  hog  crop,  as  legitimately  as  can  the  banker 
by   collecting   all   the   greenbacks   possible   to  have  on  hand  the  first  day  of  January. 


HINTS  ON   SELECTION,  CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  SWINE.  253 

The  sows  are  bred  about  the  middle  to  the  hist  of  September  of  each  year,  bringing 
their  Utters  about  the  middle  to  the  last  of  January  following,  and  the  pigs  are  fat- 
tened and  sold  at  an  age — anywhere  from  eight  to  eleven  months,  and  out  of  the  way 
before  the  next  annual  date  for  the  rendition  of  taxes.  It  may  shock  some  of  the 
literal  upholders  of  law  to  know  that  many  farmers  are  actually  doing  this  very  thing, 
l)ut  such  is  the  fact;  the  hog  is  to  the  farmer,  what  the  greenback  is  to  the  money 
lender,  and  who  shall  dispute  his  equal  right  to  use  him  in  an  equally  legitimate  way. 

While  speaking  of  the  proper  food  for  hogs,  we  may  notice  some  very  interest- 
ing experiments  that  have  been  carried  on — first  by  Professor  Sanborn  of  Mo.,  and 
more  recently  by  Professor  Henry  of  Wis. — regarding  the  relative  effects  of  fat  and 
carbhydrates  as  compared  with  albuminoids  in  the  production  of  flesh  and  fat  in  the 
body.  According  to  th'ese  experiments,  and  they  are  certainly  accurate,  it  is  found 
that  a  diet  made  up  largely  of  protein  (albuminoids),  causes  a  very  much  larger  pro- 
portion of  lean  meat;  while  a  diet  composed  mainly  of  the  starchy  elements  (carb- 
hydrates) and  fat,  gives  a  very  large  proportion  of  fat,  which  is  scattered  through  the 
body  in  bunches.  To  sum  up,  in  the  words  of  Professor  Henry,  the  experiments 
show  that  when  there  is  an  excessive  proportion  of  carbhydrates  in  the  food,  or  a  cor- 
responding deficiency  of  protein : 

"  1st.  That  there  is  an  excessive  development  of  fat  not  only  on  the  outside  of  the  muscles  and 
beneath  the  skin,  but  also  among  the  muscles. 

"2nd.  That  the  muscles  of  the  body  fail  to  develop  to  their  normal  size,  especially  some  of  the 
most  important  ones,  as  those  along  the  back. 

"  3d.     That  an  abnormally  small  amount  of  hair  and  thin  skin  results. 

"4th.  That  while  the  brain,  heart  and  lungs  do  not  seem  to  gain  in  weight,  the  spleen,  liver 
and  kidneys  are  unusually  small. 

"5th.     The  amount  of  blood  in  the  body  is  greatly  reduced  from  the  normal. 

"  6th.     The  strength  of  the  bones  may  be  reduced  one-half." 

The  practical  value  of  these  results,  to  the  farmer,  has  been  disputed,  but  they 
certainly  teach  a  very  important  scientific  truth.  The  farmer  wants  to  know  the 
exact  ration  that  will  give  the  greatest  gain  in  live  weight — be  it  muscle  or  fat — in 
proportion  to  food  consumed,  always  keeping  the  animal  in  healthy  condition ;  and  it 
may  be  noted  that,  until  buyers  can  be  educated  up  to  the  point  of  appreciating  the 
superior  value  of  lean  pork  over  fat,  it  will  hardly  pay  to  put  any  extra  expense  into 
hog  feeding  to  obtain  this  large  proportion  of  lean  meat.  The  health  of  the  animal 
is  of  prime  importance,  and  we  may  be  pardoned  for  saying  that  herein  lies  the  great 
value  to  the  farmer,  of  the  lesson  drawn  from  Professor  Henry's  experiments;  it  is  a 
fact,  as  stated  above,  that  corn  is  not  a  good  food-stuff  for  exclusive  feeding,  and  the 
experiments  by  the  Professor,  seem  to  show  the  reason.  Corn  is  deficient  in  protein, 
and  is  not,  therefore,  a  good  food  unless  supplemented  by  something  richer  in  this 
element.  The  remarks  by  Mr.  T.  G.  Terry,  before  the  Indiana  Swine  Breeders' 
Association,  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  January,  1888,  illustrate  very  aptly  the  exact  place 
filled  by  the  results  of  these  experiments,  and  we  quote  his  statements  in  full  as 
reported  in  the  Breeders'  Gazette^  of  February  1st,  1888: 

"  I  have  made  a  good  many  experiments  in  feeding,  commencing  back  in  1869,  and  have  tried 
different  plans,  and  last  fall  I  made  the  most  successful  experiment  in  feeding  for  lean  for  my  own 
pork.     When   I   killed  one  of  the  pigs  (a  cross-bred  Cheshire-Poland-China),  it  happened  to  be  just 


254  HINTS  ON   SELECTION,  CARE   AND  MANAGEMENT  OF   SWINE. 

the  time  Professor  Henry's  experiments  were  published,  and  I  will  sav  that  taking  the  center  cut  of 
the  ham  it  did  not  have  fat  enough  to  fry  it.  The  pig  was  six  months  old,  and  dressed  135  lbs.  I  fed 
it  on  oats,  bran  and  shorts,  and  nothing  else  (no  milk),  and  the  verdict  of  those  who  ate  the  pork  was 
that  it  was  the  nicest  and  juiciest  ever  put  into  their  mouths.  I  am  feeding  all  my  pigs  intended  for 
family  pork  in  that  way.     It  may  cost  more,  but  for  our  own  eating  we  can  afford  it." 

This  last  statement  contains  the  milk  of  the  cocoanut.  It  may  cost  more, 
iindonbtedly  does  cost  more,  to  feed  protein  than  to  feed  starch;  the  thinking,  reason- 
ing, farmer  ^vill,  therefore,  feed  just  such  proportion  of  this  valuable  ingredient  as 
will  bring  highest  returns  in  gross  weight,  and  no  more — since  the  buyer  will  pay  no 
more  for  lean  meat  than  for  fat;  but  when  it  comes  to  feeding  for  the  home  barrel, 
we  can  afford  to  put  a  little  extra  expense  into  the  feed  in  order  to  produce  an  extra 
amount  of,  that  richest  of  all  meats,  lean  pork. 

We  had  no  idea  of  writing  an  essay  on  the  feeding  of  swine, — the  reader  can 
obtain  more  valuable  information  from  the  statements  of  actual  methods  pursued  by 
such  men  as  are  represented  in  the  letters  given  below,  and  we  must  beg  pardon  for 
thus  wandei'ing  so  far  from  our  intention  in  the  preceding  discussion.  We  may, 
however,  state  briefly  a  few  points,  as  an  aid  in  the  selection  of  breeding  stock,  and 
trust  the  reader  will  find  something  of  interest,  if  not  of  profit,  in  their  perusal. 

The  boar  is  by  all  odds  the  most  important,  if  not  the  largest,  half  of  the  herd, 
and  his  selection  should  be  made  with  the  greatest  care.  We  do  not  propose  to  give 
any  advice  as  to  breed  from  which  he  should  be  selected ;  there  are  a  good  many 
breeds,  and,  from  the  preceding  Chapters  under  Part  Fourth,  the  reader  may  obtain 
that  which  will  aid  in  choosing  a  breed  best  suiting  his  own  peculiar  conditions — but 
it  may  be  stated,  that  a  boar  should  combine  the  best  of  the  dominant  characteristics 
of  the  breed  to  which  he  belongs.  He  should  be  close,  compact,  shorter  than  the 
model,  rather  than  longer,  and  should  be  sprightly,  active  and  vigorotis — even  bold — 
in  appearance.  If  breeding  to  secure  any  particular  result,  the  boar  should  be  selected 
with  reference  to  the  particular  characteristics  desired;  if  breeding  to  sows  too  long 
and  straight  in  the  face — a  very  common  fault — he  should  have  an  unusually  short, 
and  sharply  dished  face;  if  bred  to  sows  inclined  to  be  peaked  and  narrow  across  the 
back,  he  should  have  especial  width  and  fulness  in  these  parts;  if  mated  with  sows 
that  are  inclined  to  lay  on  fat  in  bunches,  he  should  be  selected  from  a  strain  or  breed 
that  is  noted  for  interlarding  its  fat  and  lean ;  in  brief,  select  the  boar  with  reference, 
always,  to  correcting  whatever  evils  ma}^  exist  in  your  herd,  and  you  will  obtain  satis- 
factory results. 

The  sow  is  selected  with  a  view  to  modifying  the  impress  of  the  male  on  their 
combined  offspring.  She  controls  almost  entirely  the  number  of  pigs  in  a  litter,  and 
exercises  a  very  important  influence  on  their  strength  and  stamina  at  the  time  they 
are  ushered  into  the  world.  The  sow  should  always  be  selected  from  a  family  noted 
f or  its  prolifity ;  it  is  a  well  known  fact  that  the  quality  of  bearing  either  large  or 
small  litters,  is  one  which  runs  in  families,  and  when  a  sow  is  selected  for  profitable 
breeding  she  should,  by  all  means,  be  taken  from  one  of  these  large  bearing  strains. 
The  sow  should  be  almost  the  opposite  of  the  boar  in  many  ways — instead  of 
being  short  and  close-coupled,  she  should  be  long  and  rangy  in  her  make  up,  especi- 
ally wide  and  deep  at  the  pelvis,  and  with  at  least   twelve  well  developed,  prominent. 


IIIXTS  OX   SELECTION,  CARE   AND   MANAGEMENT  OK   SWINE.  2oO 

nipples.  As  a  rule,  ]~)etter  pigs,  larger  litters,  and  greater  profits  will  be  obtained  from 
sows  fully  matured  in  all  respects;  those  who  practice  breeding  young  sows — turning 
them  off  for  the  market  after  one,  or  at  most  two  litters,  cannot  compete  with  equally 
skillful  breeders  \\h()  breed  only  from  mature  sows.  The  sow  should  not  be  selected 
before  she  has  reached  an  age  of  at  least  four  or  five  months;  about  this  time  changes 
occur,  which  might  lead  to  quite  a  different  choice  from  selections  made  when  the 
pigs  were  only  a  few  weeks  old.  Health  and  constitution  are  two  prime  factors  in 
profitable  pork  raising,  and  to  secure  these,  both  sow  and  boar  must  have  a  large 
girth  back  of  the  fore  legs,  and  be  deep  and  wide  in  the  chest.  Clean  skin;  thin, 
soft,  glossy  hair;  fine,  delicate  ears;  short,  neatly  dished  face;  short  neck,  and  fine- 
boned,  triml}-  made  legs,  are  sure  indications,  in  either  boar  or  sow,  that  the  animal 
will  be  an  easy  keeper;  while  the  reverse—  long  head,  straight  nose,  and  narrowor 
fiat-sided  liody — almost  always  denotes  a  large  appetite,  and  not  always  an  equivalent 
return.  ^V  mean  between  these  two  types  will,  usually,  be  found  more  profitable,  and 
there  are  many  breeds  now  known  that  fill  this  middle  ground  to  perfection. 

In  the  following  letters  will  be  found  a  good  many  solid  facts;  "nothing  succeeils 
like  success,"  and  the  breeders  who  have  thus  given  us  the  benefit  of  their  experience, 
are  all  men  who  have  made  a  success  of  the  business  of  raising  hogs — we  advise  a 
careful  perusal : 

"  Haw  Hill,  Spri.vgfield,  III.,  Aug.  10th,  1888. 
*         *         *         * 

"  Whether  pigs  are  to  be  reared  and  sold  for  breeding  purposes,  or  to  be  grown  and  fattened  for 
market,  our  general  rule  is  to  breed  the  sows  as  nearly  as  practicable  during  the  second  week  in 
November,  the  pigs  will  then  come  about  the  1st  of  March  following. 

"  In  this  latitude,  with  the  breed  we  handle,  nine  months  is  long  enough  to  allow  for  the  grow- 
ing and  fattening  of  a  hog;  this  brings  the  fattened  hogs  into  market  about  the  first  of  December. 
The  first  of  March  is  also  a  good  time  to  have  pigs  come  that  are  to  be  reared  and  sold  as  breeders. 
Both  they  and  those  intended  for  pork  have  the  summer  on  grass.  Ail  are  thus  more  cheaply  raised, 
are  more  healthy,  make  better  pork  product,  and  better  breeding  stock.  We  prefer  a  good  boar 
from  two  to  five  years  of  age  to  one  only  eight  to  twelve  months  old,  though  the  latter  may  give 
every  promise  of  making  a  very  superior  animal  when  fully  matured.  A  young  boar,  however,  from 
an  early  spring  litter,  if  properly  taken  care  of  through  the  summer,  may  be  used  with  full  grown 
sows  in  November,  or  better  a  month  later.  The  pigs  will  hardly  be  inferior  in  size  and  vigor  to 
those  sired  by  an  older  boar,  particularly  if  the  sows  bred  to  the  old  boar  were  young  or  not  well 
matured.  In  fact,  we  keep  two  boars  all  the  time,  often  three,  and  when  we  get  one  that  is  particu- 
larly to  our  liking  we  use  him  year  after  year,  though  not,  except  rarely,  on  hi.s  own  get.  At  the 
time  the  boars  are  to  be  used  in  the  fall,  we  wish  them  to  be  in  good  healthy  condition;  the  young 
boar  growing  and  the  old  one  laying  on  flesh  as  fast  as  his  restricted  allowance  of  feed  will  permit — 
for  he  should  not  be  fed  all  the  rich  food  he  can  eat  like  a  fattening  hog,  nor  as  much  as  a  young  and 
growing  boar.  After  he  has  commenced  service,  he  is  fed  more  liberally,  depending  on  the  amount 
of  service  required  of  him;  and  so  also  with  the  young  boar — his  rations  are  increased,  though  only 
as  needed,  to  keep  him  in  good  vigorous  condition. 

"The  condition  of  the  sows  at  the  time  they  are  served  is  also  a  matter  of  importance.  Having 
summered  on  grass,  and  being  only  moderately  fat,  they  are  taken  up  in  October  and  put  on  a  diet  of 
more  or  less  grain,  depending  on  the  weather.  They  take,  as  it  were,  a  new  start  in  growth,  if  young, 
or  in  laying  on  flesh  if  old.  When  they  do  this,  and  come  in  season,  it  is  the  right  time  to  breed 
them.     They  are  more  certain  to  hold  if  served  this  time  than  later,  or  after  they  become  fat.     One 


256  HINTS  ox   SELECTION,  CARE   AND   MANAGEMENT  OF   SWINE. 

good  service  is  all  that  is  needed.  The  sow  is  placed  in  a  pen  or  yard  by  herself  until  fully  over  her 
heat.  She  is  then  put  with  others  that  have  been  bred.  It  is  best  not  to  keep  more  than  four  or  five 
in  the  same  yard ;  two  or  three  only  would  be  still  better,  though  it  is  more  trouble  to  have  so  many 
small  lots  to  feed,  and  more  expensive  making  so  many  shelters.  Some  regard  is  also  had  to  divid- 
ing them  according  to  size. 

"  The  time  of  service  is  noted  down,  and  time  when  due  to  farrow— counting  sixteen  weeks 
from  date  of  service — is  also  noted.  From  the  18th  to  the  21st  day  the  sow  is  noticed  carefully,  to 
see  if  she  comes  in  heat  again.  If  she  does,  she  is  served,  and  the  new  date  recorded.  About  the 
middle  of  February,  or  two  weeks  before  the  pigs  are  due,  each  sow  is  put  in  a  comfortable  pen  by 
herself,  and  well  bedded.  Here  she  is  gentled  by  the  feeder,  to  whom  she  soon  becomes  accustomed. 
Her  feed  during  this  time  is  such  as  will  tend  to  keep  the  bowels  open.  Much  use  of  dry  corn  is 
avoided.  When  she  makes  her  bed,  preparatory  to  farrowing,  care  is  taken  that  she  does  not  have  too 
much  straw  or  litter  to  work  with.  Better  have  a  warm  or  well-sheltered  pen  and  less  bedding,  for 
there  is  much  danger  of  the  pigs  being  over-laid  when  the  bedding  is  too  plentiful  or  coarse.  The 
pigs  usually  come  strong,  and  soon  find  their  way  to  the  teats.  If  they  are  weak  and  helpless,  it 
seems  hardly  worth  while  spending  time  with  them.  Half  of  a  litter  may  thus  be  lost,  and  sometimes 
all,  but  if  any  survive  they  are  apt  to  do  better,  and  make  us  more  money,  considering  time  and 
trouble  saved,  than  to  have  saved  all.  We  are  inclined  to  think  the  career  of  the  runt  pig,  as  a  runt, 
begins  before  it  is  born,  and  comes  from  not  being  as  well  nourished  as  his  fellows  before  entering 
life  on  his  own  account.  The  early  back-set  thus  given  the  pig  may  doubtless  be  overcome,  in  a 
measure  at  least,  by  special  care  and  liberal  feeding  afterwards.  In  cases  of  scarcity  of  stock,  the 
extra  attention  given  runt  pigs,  or  those  weakly  at  birth,  may  be  made  to  pay  well. 

"  After  the  pigs  are  farrowed,  the  sow  is  given  all  the  warm  drink  she  will  take.  This  is  made 
by  scalding  wheat  bran  and  ship  stuff  with  hot  water,  and  then  adding  cold  water  and  skimmed  milk) 
if  the  latter  is  at  hand,  until  reduced  to  the  right  temperature.  If  given  her  cold  at  this  time  of  year, 
she  will  go  to  her  bed  chilled  and  uncomfortable,  but  if  warm  and  palatable,  she  will  lay  down  and  be 
quiet,  while  the  little  pigs  will  suck,  sleep  and  grow  strong.  It  is  surprising  how  fast  a  few  good 
fillings  with  milk,  and  a  few  good  sleeps  will  send  them  along. 

"The  feed  of  the  sow  is  but  little  increased  during  the  first  week  or  ten  days.  By  the  time  the 
pigs  are  three  or  four  weeks  old,  if  they  have  done  well,  they  will  have  become  a  real  burden  to  the 
sow,  and  she  will  begin  to  fall  off  in  flesh  rapidly,  unless  in  the  mean  time  her  rations  have  been 
gradually  increased  in  richness  as  well  as  in  quantity.  When  four  weeks  old,  the  young  pigs  are 
offered  feed  in  a  trough  by  themselves,  where  it  cannot  be  reached  by  the  sow.  They  soon  learn  to 
eat,  and  with  this  help,  they  grow  still  faster.  When  they  are  eight  or  ten  weeks  old,  the  sow  is  taken 
from  them,  or  they  from  the  sow,  as  is  most  convenient  at  the  time.  Before  weaning,  however,  they 
are  all  carefully  marked,  and  the  marks  recorded,  so  that  the  parentage  of  each  may  always  be  known. 
About  two  weeks  before  weaning,  the  males  that  are  intended  for  pork-making  are  castrated.  In  case 
any  of  these  are  not  fully  recovered  or  doing  well,  they  are  left  with  the  sow  a  few  days  or  a  week 
longer  than  the  others. 

"  A  few  weeks  after  weaning,  all  the  young  boars  that  are  to  be  sold  for  breeding  purposes  are 
separated  from  the  others,  and  placed  out  of  sight,  as  well  as  they  can  be,  of  other  pigs  or  hogs. 
Thev  are  kept  until  sold,  on  grass,  so  far  as  practicable,  in  the  orchard  or  small  pasture,  and  fed  on 
almost  anything  that  happens  to  be  available,  only  they  are  given  very  little  corn.  We  prefer  oats, 
rye,  vegetables,  purslane,  and  wind  fallen  apples.  When  we  buy  feed,  it  is  usually  wheat  bran,  ship 
stuff  and  oil  meal  [linseed]  for  making  into  swill  with  skimmed  milk. 

"  The  sow  pigs  are  kept  and  fed  in  much  the  same  way,  as  are  also  the  barrows  and  all  intended 
for  fattening  for  pork,  except  that  these  last  are  put  on  more  of  a  corn  diet,  early  in  the  fall.  As  soon 
as  new  corn  is  large  enough,  some  is  cut  each  day  and  thrown  to  the  pigs,  stalk  and  ear  together,  on 
the  ground,  while  they  are  still  in  the  pastures.  Later,  the  feeding  stock  is  separated  from  the  breed- 
ing stock.  We  try  to  keep  the  latter  in  good  growing  condition  during  summer  and  fall,  but  from 
the  1st  of  September  to  the  1st  of  December  the  others  are  fed  with  a  view  to  fattening  as  well  as 
making  growth.  We  aim  to  have  them  weigh  from  225  to  250  pounds  at  nine  months  old,  and  to 
have  them  sold  before  winter  sets  in.      The  most  of  the  breeders  are  also  sold  by   this  time,  though 


HINTS  OX   SELECTION,  CARE   AND   MANAGEMENT  OF   SWINE.  257 

some  of  the  young  sows  are  always  reserved  to  be  bred  in  the  fall  and  then  sold  during  the  winter  as 
sows  due  to  farrow  in  the  spring. 

"In  this  hurried  recital  of  our  methods,  little  has  been  said  of  the  kinds  and  quantities  of  feed 
given,  simply  because  what  can  and  should  be  used  in  our  climate  or  locality,  cannot  perhaps,  be  had 
in  another.  The  pig  is  as  omniverous  a  feeder  as  is  man,  and  can  about  as  readily  adapt  himself  to 
the  circimistances  of  feed  and  surroundings  as  can  his  keeper.  For  similar  reasons,  nothing  has  been 
said  of  the  construciion  of  pens  and  shelters.  Here,  hogs  do  well  with  open  sheds  facing  to  the  south. 
With  a  good  and  dry  floor,  thereby  insuring  to  the  hog  a  dry  bed,  he  will  not  suffer  much  in  winter  if 
reasonably  well  fed.  If  warmer  quarters  are  provided,  less  feed  may  be  required,  but  it  is  hard  to 
draw  the  line  between,  or  explain  in  a  few  words  the  dangers  or  risks  of  warm  and  poorly  ventilated 
hog  houses,  as  compared  with  the  advantages  and  safety  of  less  expensive  and  more  airy  quarters. 

Phil.  Thrifton." 

The  writer  of  the  above  needs  no  introduction  to  the  reading  pubHc.  The 
"  Haw  Hill "  breeder  is  a  Berkshire  man  all  over,  and  one  who  has  done  much  to 
advance  the  breed  in  popular  favor.  His  methods  are  clearly  outlined,  and  will  furn- 
ish an  excellent  guide  for  breeders  of  anv  class  of  swine. 

Duroc-  yerseys. 

"PiNEwooD,  Tenn.,  Aug.  6th,  1888. 

"  We  couple  our  sows  early  in  November,  which  brings  the  farrowing  time  to  the  latter  part  of 
February  or  first  of  March.  Pigs  farrowed  at  this  time  will  be  ten  weeks  old  by  the  middle  of  May, 
at  which  age  they  will  have  been  weaned  and  ready  for  shipment,  enabling  us  to  get  them  off  to  their 
new  homes  before  the  hot  weather  of  spring  comes  on.  If  bred  for  pork,  we  prefer  that  the  farrow- 
ing should  be  a  couple  of  weeks  later,  as  the  grass  will,  by  that  time,  be  a  little  further  advanced, 
thus  enabling  the  sows  to  suckle  better.  After  the  sows  are  bred  we  separate  them  from  the  herd 
and  keep  them  in  lots  or  pastures  in  which  there  is  plenty  of  good  water.  We  feed  them  so  as  to 
keep  in  thrifty  condition,  using  the  best  variety  of  food  that  we  can  command.  We  usually  feed 
corn,  oats  and  cut  sorghum.  Sorghum  we  value  very  highly;  it  supplies  the  place  of  grass,  as  it  is 
very  sweet  and  juicy,  and  tends  to  keep  the  sows  from  becoming  feverish,  as  they  frequently  do  if 
fed  on  dry  food  all  the  time.  We  keep  the  vermin  off  by  greasing  the  sows  with  any  waste  grease 
in  which  we  put  a  little  coal  oil.     We  keep  within  their  reach  a  mixture  of 

Wood  ashes 1  bushel 

Charcoal 1  bushel 

Salt Yz  bushel 

Sulphur 5  pounds 

"  A  couple  of  weeks  before  farrowing  time  we  remove  the  sow  to  a  lot  in  wliich  is  a  movable 
house  8x10,  open  on  one  side,  which  faces  the  south,  the  roof  sloping  toward  the  north.  Into  this 
house  we  throw  a  lot  of  hay  out  of  which  the  sow  makes  her  bed.  The  sow  should  be  noticed  a 
week  before  farrowing,  and  if  her  bowels  are  not  open  she  should  be  fed  warm  bran  slops  which 
will  generally  open  her  bowels  and  prevent  that  feverish  condition  that  is  so  often  seen  at  farrowing 
time,  and  which  causes  so  many  sows  to  eat  their  pigs,  or  kill  them  by  being  restless,  and  lying  on 
them.  At  farrowing  time  it  is  best  to  leave  the  sow  to  herself,  as  frequently  sows  are  excited  by  the 
presence  of  some  well-wisher,  and  in  their  efforts  to  drive  off  the  intruder,  kill  the  little  pigs.  After 
the  farrowing  is  well  over,  and  while  the  sow  is  quiet,  remove  any  dead  pigs  and  the  afterbirth,  as 
sometimes  sows  are  caused  to  kill  and  eat  their  pigs  by  getting  a  taste  of  those  that  may  be  left 
dead  in  the  bed.  For  the  first  day  or  so  warm  bran  slops  will  be  sufficient  food  to  give  her,  after 
which  the  feed  may  be  gradually  increased  until  the  pigs  are  two  weeks  old,  by  which  time  she 
should  have  all  she  will  eat  of  as  great  a  variety  of  feed  as  can  be  given  her.  When  the  pigs  are  a 
little  over  two  weeks  old  they  will  begin  to  eat  a  little  slop,  which  should  be  given  them  in  troughs 
about  three  inches  deep;  warm  kitchen  slops  will  be  most  acceptable  to  them,  after  which  cornmeal, 
made  into  a  thin  mush  and  well  cooked,  is  much  relished  bv  them.     At  a  month  old  we  give  them 


258  HINTS  ox  selection,  care  and  .management  of  swine. 

meal  raw,  mixed  in  kitchen  slops  or  cold  water,  in  which  a  little  salt  is  put;  we  sometimes  give  corn 
soaked  in  water  for  twenty-four  hours,  again  dry  corn,  changing  the  feed  to  keep  the  appetite 
sharp.  Care  has  to  be  exercised  in  feeding,  as  sometimes  heavy  feeding  causes  indigestion  and 
scours  which  sets  the  pigs  back  several  weeks,  if  it  does  not  kill  them.  At  the  age  of  ten  weeks  the 
pigs  are  weaned  and  such  as  are  suitable  we  ship  or  reserve  for  breeders;  the  others  we  castrate  and 
spay,  and  place  with  the  herd  that  is  being  handled  for  pork.  Sometimes  the  pigs  when  a  few  days 
old  are  troubled  by  their  tails  and  ears  becoming  sore.  If  not  attended  to  promptly  the  tails  fre- 
quently come  off  near  the  body.  At  the  first  appearance  of  the  sores  we  wash  the  tails  and  ears 
with  castile  soap  and  anoint  them  with  lard,  in  which  a  little  carbolic  acid  and  sulphur  have  been 
incorporated.  Occasionally  sows  are  observed  to  lie  on  their  bellies  and  refuse  to  let  the  pigs  suck; 
this  is  because  the  pigs  bite  the  teats  with  the  sharp,  briery  tusks;  remove  them  with  a  pair  of 
nippers,  and  the  trouble  will  be  removed  and  the  pigs  will  be  none  the  worse  for  the  operation. 
Whether  pigs  are  being  bred  for  breeders  or  for  pork  the  sows  should  be  kept  separate  from  the 
pork  hogs,  nor  should  many  sows  be  allowed  to  carry  their  pigs  in  the  same  lot,  for  the  reason  that 
the  oldest  and  strongest  pigs  will  whip  the  smaller  ones  and  appropriate  their  share  of  the  milk 
as  well  as  their  own.  Pigs  that  are  destined  to  be  killed  for  pork  we  place  in  the  clover  fields  and 
give  them  daily  a  feed  of  dry  corn  to  keep  them  gentle  and  to  push  them  forward.  Pigs  farrowed 
in  March  should,  if  properly  handled,  average  200  to  250  lbs.  by  the  middle  of  November.  Those 
that  come  later  are  carried  through  the  winter  and  killed  the  following  winter  or  fattened  and  sold  in 
June.  S.  L.  Graham  eS:  Son." 

The  Messrs.  Graham  have  our  thanks  for  their  methods  in  detail.  The  anti- 
septic mixture  (wood  ashes,  charcoal,  salt  and  sulphur)  which  they  use,  is  of  much 
more  importance  than  many  suppose;  hogs  fed  liberally  on  green  stuff,  and  given 
free  access  to  simple  preventives  of  this  kind,  are  the  last  ones  to  succumb  to  attacks 
of  cholera  and  other  dread  diseases  to  which  the  hog  tribe  is  subject.  The  plan  of 
changing  food  at  frequent  intervals,  to  keep  the  appetite  sharp,  should  be  emphasized; 
too  many  expect  a  hog  to  thrive  on  one  particular  kind  of  diet,  and  think  all  that  is 
necessary  is  to  give  them  plent}^  of  it. 

Sniall  7'orkshires  and  Bcrkshircs. 

"Bermuda  Park  Place,  Griswoldville,  Ga.,  Aug.  14th,  1888. 

"  We  have  had  some  experience  both  at  the  North  and  in  the  South  in  breeding,  and  find  that 
this  section — Middle  Georgia — offers  the  same  advantages  for  hog  raising  that  is  found  at  the  North. 
It  is  true  that  some  kinds  of  feed,  such  as  corn,  are  more  expensive,  but  as  a  compensation,  so  much 
is  not  needed.  The  pastures  or  fields  furnish  more  or  less  sustenance  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  and 
are  peculiarly  rich  in  the  fall,  just  before  the  fattening  season;  this  lightens  the  expense  of  corn 
feeding. 

"  We  have  made  a  specialty  of  Berkshires  and  Small  Yorkshires.  Other  breeds  would  doubt- 
less do  as  well.  In  the  Berkshire,  we  have  size  and  weight,  in  the  Yorkshire  a  compact  form  and 
quick  growth.  They  make  a  good  cross  for  fattening  purposes.  We  keep  such  numbers  only  as  the 
farm  will  support.  We  have  the  sour  milk  froni  a  dairy,  and  can  manage  five  hogs  and  pigs  to  each 
cow  in  milk.  This  gives  us  the  coarse  slops  for  the  larger  hogs,  and  pure  milk  for  the  pigs,  which 
are  fed  separately.     We  feed  little  grain  in  the  summer,  only  enough  to  keep  the  stock  growing. 

"  We  breed  for  two  purposes — for  sale  as  breeders  and  for  use  on  the  plantation.  We  do  not  breed 
nor  dress  for  the  shows.  We  have  registered  hogs  that  will  go  into  the  tub  this  winter.  It  is  easier 
and  cheaper  to  raise  and  fatten  a  thoroughbred  Yorkshire  than  any  grade  kr.ovvn  to  us.  In  order  to 
secure  health,  we  have  the  hog  lots  on  a  hill  side,  with  pens  and  sheds  at  the  upper  end,  and  an  abund- 
ance of  pure  spring  water  at  the  other.  We  never  pen  our  hogs  except  for  fattening.  We  never 
clean  them  except  to  wash  pigs  infected  with  scab  or  some  skin  disease.  Hogs  clean  themselves  in 
the  wallow  as  chickens  do  in  the  dust.     It  is  safe  to  keep  50  or  100  hogs  and  pigs  together,  but  beyond 


HINTS  ON   SELECTION,  CARE   AND   MANAGEMENT  OF  SWINE.  259 

that,  remember,  the  danger  of  disease  is  increased.     The  males  are  changed  every  year  or  two.     A 
good  plan  is  for  neighbors  to  exchange  males  frequently,  thus  insuring  both  health  and  vigor. 

N.  G.  Buff" 
Mr.  Buff  is  a  breeder  who  has  had  success  with  white  hogs  in  the  South,  but  he 
is  located  in  a  section  that  will  compare  favorably — as  he  says — -with  more  northern 
localities  in  this  respect.  In  other  and  less  favored  spots — as  to  water,  pasture  and 
elevation — the  reports  are  pretty  uniformly  against  white  hogs  in  general,  unless 
hnndled  \vith  "■reat  care. 


I  IS  D 


X. 


iUnstrations  in  Bold  Faced  Type. 


^tota/ioits  in  Italics. 


Abdallali 48,  52 

Aberdeen- Angus 148-152 

Acme  (Holderness  bull) 103 

Adelaide  (Holderness  cow) 104 

Adelaide  (Percheron  mare) 11 

Advanced  Register,  Conditions  for  Admission 

to 82 

Albany  sow 242,  244 

Alderney 86 

Alexander's  Abdallahs,  The 48,  52,  54 

Alhambra 44 

Allen,  Le-Mis  F .94,  /57,  1C>4 

Almanzor 34 

Almonts,  The 48 

American  Eclipse 36 

American  Holderness 102-105 

American  Merinos 178  193 

American  Star 44,  50,  54 

American  (or  White)  Suffolk 250,  251 

American  Thoroughbred,  Origin  of 35 

American  Trotters 42-63 

Andrew  Jackson 48 

Anglesea  Cattle 133 

Ap  Guilm  (North  Wales  Black  bull) 134 

Aquierre  Family  of  Merinos 178, 183 

Arrow 54 

Atwood  Merinos 182-183 

Atv.ood  Register 118,182 

Atwood,  Stephen,  Certificate  of 184 

Auterdale  Breed  (Swine) 237 

Ayrshire  Group l>o 

Ayrshires 93-97 

Baldstockings,  The 48 

Bard,  The  (American  Thoroughbred). 36,  37,  40 

Baron  (Hampshire  ram) 204 

Baron  Valiant  (Aberdeen-Angus  bull) 140 

Bars  First 64 

Bartlett's  Childers 34 

Barnum,  P.  T •'>« 

Bashaws,  The 46,  48 


I'AGK   . 

Bay  Filly 54 

Beautiful  Bay 48 

Bedford  Swine 235 

Beef  Breeds 79 

Beef,  Selection  for 167,  168 

Belgian  Draft 15-17 

Belle  Hamlin 52 

Bellfounder,  Imported 44,  48,  54 

Belmont  (American  Trotter) 45,  56,  58 

Berkshire  Group 227 

Berkshires 226-229 

Betsy  Malone 38 

Betsy  Trotwood 50 

Big  Chinas  (Swine) 229 

Big  Spotted  (Swine) 229 

Bishop's  Hambletonian 50 

Black  Faced  Heath  Breed  (Sheep) 195 

Blackhawks,  The 48 

Black  Suffolk 249 

Blacli-Top  Ewes IHO 

Black-Top  Merinos 188-191 

Black-  Top  Register WO 

Blaze 34,42 

Blue  Bull 50 

Blue  Bulls,  The 48 

Boars,  Care  of 255,  256 

Bolingbroke 115 

Bond's  First  Consul 46 

Bos  Indicus 157 

Bos  primigenius 137 

Bos  taurus 15  < 

Boulonnais   1" 

Bowman,  J.  H.  &  W.  R  ,  Methods  of 76 

Brahmin  Cattle 157-160 

Brahmin  Group 150 

Breaking  Colts 75,76,77 

Brilliant  (Percheron  stallion) 0 

Brittany  hnll 100 

Brittany  cow 100 

Brittanies 108-110 

Brown  Hal 54 


264 


Broxvn,  Prof.  Wm.,  Refort  of 121,  128 

Brown  Swiss 105,  108 

Brown  Swiss  Cow 107 

Buchour  (Brahmins) 157 

Blickden  (English  Shire  stallion) 23 

Buffalo  Girl 54 

Bulls,  Care  of 168,  169,  170,  171,  172,  173 

Bulrush 48 

Button,  R.  D.,  Letter  from 342-243 

Byerly  Turk 34 

Byfield  (Swine) 230 

Cade 42 

Calves,  Care  of. .  .168,  169,  170,  171,  172,  173,  174 

Calving 168,  169,  170,  172 

Campbell,  Jno.  R.  Jr.,  Methods  of 220-221 

Cannock  Heath  Sheep 200,  202 

Canadian  Pony 69 

Cart  Horse 19,  22 

Cattle,  Selection,  Care  and  Management 

of 166-174 

Cattle,  Summary  of  Part  Second 79 

Case,  J.  I.,  Letter  from 52 

Cazvdor,  Earl  of 13G 

Champions,  The 48 

Cheshires 242-244 

Chester  Whites 235-236 

Cheviot  Ram 196 

Cheviots 195-197 

Chicago  Ilorsenmn 40,  54,  56 

Chinese  Swine 226,  250 

Clark  Chief 50 

Clays,  The 46 ,  48 

Cleveland  Bays 27-30 

Clinkstone  2nd[  (Atwood  Ram) 1H2 

Clothilda  (Holstein-Friesian  cow) 83,  85 

Clydesdales 17_21 

Clydesdale  Stud  Book i[) 

Coffin  Joint  Lameness 74 

Colts,  Care  of 75,  76,  77 

Comet 115 

Conklin's  Abdallah 54 

Contracted  Feet 74 

Copper-bottoms,  The 50 

Corns 73 

Cotswold  Ewes 211 

Cotswolds 208-211 

Cows,  Care  of. .  .  .168,  169,  170,  171,  172,  173,  174 
Crawford  Belle  (Todd's   Improved  Chester 

sow) 238 

Curb 74 

Curtis'  Victorias 239-240 

Cuyler 50 


Cyclone  (Hampshire  ram) 203 

Dairy  Breeds 79 

Daisy  2nd  (Cheshire  sow) 944: 

Dandy  (Davis'  Victoria  boar) ,241 

Daniel  Lambert ; 48 

Daniel  Lamberts,  The 48 

Darley  Arabian 8,  34,  42 

Davis,  E.  W.,  Letter  from 244 

Davis'  Victorias 240  242 

Dehorning 120,  122, 146,  150,  171 

Delaine  ewes 192 

Delaine  Merinos 191  193 

Delaine  Wool 191 

Demi-sang 30 

Devon  hnll 125 

Devons 124^128 

Dexter     50 

Dexter  Strain  of  Kerries 112 

Dickinson  ewes 187 

Dickinson   Merinos 186-188 

Dictator  (American  Trotter) 49,  50,  56 

Dictators,  The 48 

Dillon,  Levi,  Letter  from 133 

Diomed,  Imported 44 

Dipping 221 

Dobroy  First 64 

Docking 223 

Dolly  Varden  (Hereford  cow) 141 

Donovan 36 

Dorset  Sheep 193-195 

Dorset  Swine 250 

Draft  Breeds 7 

Draft,  Selection  for 73 

Duchess  Family  of  Shorthorns 115,  118 

Duchess  of  Sniithlleld  (Ayrshire  cow) 9(> 

DtiHays 8 

Durhams 113 

Duroc 36,  44,  232 

Duroc- Jersey  Group 233 

Duroc-Jersey  Record 232 

Duroc-Jerseys 233-335 

Duroc  Swine 233 

Dutch-Belted  Cattle 98-101 

Dutch  Belted  Cattle  Herd  Book .98 

Dutch-Friesians 80 

Dutch  mares 33 

Early  Lambs 331 

Eclipse 34,  35,  44 

Edward  Everetts,  The 48 

Edward  The  Great  (Dutch-Belted  Bull) 99 

Elaine 54 


265 


Elaine  of  Abelonr  (Aberdeen-Angus  cow) 

and  Calf 151 

Electioneer 52,  54,  55,  56,  63 

Electioneers,  The 48 

Elkw  ood 36 

Emperor    of   Norfolk    (American  Tliorougli- 

bred) 38,39,40 

Engineer 42 

English  Shires   22-25 

English  (or  Black)  Suffolk 249-250 

English  Thoroughbred,  Degeneracy  of 35 

Escurial  Family  Merinos 177,  183 

Escutcheon 167 

Essex 247-248 

Essex  sow 247 

Ethan  Allen 48 

Ethan  Aliens,  The 48 

Ewes,  Care  ot 220,  221,  222,  223 

Exmoor  Ponies 67 

Farceur  (French  Draft  stallion) 14 

Fearnaughts,  The 48 

Feather 21,  25 

Feeding  for  Fat  or  Lean 253,  254 

Fields,  Wm.  M.  &  Bro.,  Methods  of 76 

Fireaways,  The 44 

Firenzi 36,  38 

Fish,  N.  S.,  Letter  from 108 

Flanders  Draft  Horse 8,  15,  17,  19 

Flora 52 

Flora  Belle 54 

Flora  Temple 50 

Flukes 93 

Flying  Childers 34,  35,  42 

Forest  Breed  (Cattle) 112,  124,  133,  137 

Founder 73 

Frances  (Brown  Swiss  cow) lOO 

Freeland  (Oxford  ram) 207 

French  Canadians 46 

French  Coach   30-33 

French  Draft 12-15 

French  Merinos 177 

Frost,  J.  M.,  Letter  from '. 160 

Fuller 54 

Fuyard  (French  Coach  stallion) 32 

Gallipoli 8 

Galloway  King-  (Galloway  bull) 145 

Galloways 144-148 

Garttt  (English  Shire  stallion) 24 

Gem 54 

General  Knox i8 

General  Purpose  Breeds  (Cattle) 79 


PACE. 

George  M.  Patchen 48 

George  Wilkes 50 

George  Wilkeses,  The 48 

German  Merinos 177,  178 

Gestation  in  cows,  Period  of 157,  172 

Gestation  in  mares,  Period  of 69 

Gestation  in  sheep,  Period  of 223 

Gestation  in  swine,  Period  of 255,  257 

Gilcleroy  (Ch  desdale  stallion) IS 

Gimcrack 44 

Godolphin  Barb  (Arabian) 8,  34,  42 

Gold-dust 48 

Goldsmith  Maid 32 

Gossip  Jr 54 

(iothlands 239 

Grand  Bashaw 46,  48 

Grass  Breed  (Swine) 237 

(iraves,  C.  A.,  Methods  of 76,  77 

Green's  Bashaw 48 

Green  Mountain  Maid 52,  54 

Green  Mountain  Morgan,  Hale's 48 

Guadaloupe  Family  Merinos 183 

Guernseys 91-93 

Guy 56 

Guy  Wilkes 54 

Hambletonian,  JMshop's 50 

Hambletonian,  Rysdyk's 44,  46,  48,  50,  52,  54 

Hambletonians,  The 48 

H-a-m-i-1-t-o-n-i-a-n 50 

Hamlin's  Almont 52 

Hammond,  Edwin,  Certificate  of 184 

Hampshire  ewes 205 

Hampshires 203-206 

Haphazard 44 

Happy  Medium 50 

Happy  Mediums,  The 48 

Harold  (American  Trotter) 47,  52,  56 

Havering  Nonpareil  2nd  (Shorthorn  cow). . . .  117 

Heat,  Recurrence  of,  in  Mares 77 

Heavy  Carriage  Breeds 7 

Helm,  II.  T i4.  Hi 

Henry  Clay 48 

Henry,  Prof.  W.  A.,  Report  of 253 

Herefords ." 137-144 

Herod  Line  (Horses) 34 

Hiatogas,  The 48 

Holderness 102 

Holstein-Friesians    80-86 

Horned  Dorset  Group 194 

1  lorned  Dorsets  (Sheep) 193-195 

Horses,  Selection,  Care  and  Management  of,  72-77 
Horses,  Summary  of  Part  F'irst 7 


266 


PAGE. 

Hubback 115 

Huguenot  (English  Thoroughbred) 40,  41 

In-breeding  defined 115 

Indian  Pony  Group 70 

Indian  Ponies 69-71 

Infantado  Family  Merinos 177,  183 

Irish  Grazier  Swine 229,  230 

Irish  Longhorns 128 

X       ^       ^.      /  A         •         'T     *.     ^  \       46,  49,  50, 
Jay-Eye-See  (American  Trotter) -J  ^^^    .^^    ^^    ^^ 

Jersey  bull 87 

Jersey  Group H9 

Jersey-Reds 233 

Jerseys 86-91 

Jewett  54 

Johnson 54 

Joker  (American  Merino  ram) 179 

Jolie  2nd  (Guernsey  cow) 92 

Journal  Royal  Agricultural  Society 200 

Justin  Morgan > 46,  48 

Kanucks 46 

Kentucky  Prince 56 

Kerries 110-113 

Kerry  cows Ill 

King  Herod 34 

Knoxes,  The 48 

Kyloes 160 

Lady  Aldine  (Dutch-Belted  cow) 101 

Lady  Rose  2nd  (Todd's  Improved  Chester 

White  sow) 237 

Lakenfield  Cattle 98 

Lambs,  Care  of   221,  222,  223 

Laminitis 73 

Landseer's  Fancy 90 

Large  Breeds  (Swine) 235 

Lebed  First 64 

Leicester  ewe 214 

Leicester  Group 213 

Leicesters 212-215 

Leiston  (Suffolk  Punch  stallion) 26 

Leamington 36 

Lexington 36,  40 

Lincoln  Group  (Sheep) 217 

Lincoln  Horse 19,  22 

Lincolns  (Sheep) 215,  218 

Lindsey  Arabian 48 

Little  Brown  Jug 54 

Little  Mack 54 

Little  Minch    36 


Lord  Derby  (Cleveland  Bay  stallion) 29 

Lochlyoch  mares 19 

Longhorns 128-130 

Longliorn  steers 129 

Long  Island  Blackhawk 48 

Long,  Prof.  Jas 226,  247,  250 

Long- wool  Breeds 175 

Lord  Preston  (Lincoln  ram) 21M 

Lozv,  Prof.  David.  ...22,  21,  35,  60,  93,  126, 

160,  164,  176,  W3,  1!>5,  197,  198 

Lubezney  First 64 

Lucy  54 

Matchem 42 

Magie  Swine 230 

Magna  Charta 48 

Main  Register,  Conditions  for  admission  to.  .  .82 

Mambrino 42,  48 

Mambrino  (American) 48 

Mambrino  Chief 48,  50,  52,  54 

Mambrino  Patchen 50 

Mambrino  Paymaster 48 

Mambrinos,  The 48 

Manzanita 54 

Marion  5th,  of  Castlemilk  (Galloway  cow)  147 

Marius  (Shorthorn  bull) \Hi 

Mares,  brood,  Care  of 75,  76 

Marshall 120 

Marske 35 

Massena 90 

Matilda  4th 90 

Mattie  Hunter 54 

Maud  S 46,  47,  50,  52,  56,  59 

Maxey  Cobb 50 

Mayflower 54 

McDozvell,  fas 186 

Medley,  Imported 44 

Meg  Dods  (Clydesdale  mare) 20 

Merinos 176-193 

Merritt,  Consul 216 

Messenger-Duroc 44,  54 

Messenger-Durocs,  The 48 

Messenger,  Imported 42,  44,  46,  48,  50 

Mexican  Pony  Group 08 

Mexican  Ponies 67-69 

Middle  Breeds  (Swine) 225 

Middle  White  Breed  (Swine) 250 

Middle- Wool  Breeds 175 

Midnight 52 

Milk  Mirror 167 

Milk  Wedge 167 

Mills,  C.  F.,  Methods  of 223 

Miss  Herve V 44 


267 


PAGE. 

Miss  Russell 52 

Mohawks,  The 48 

Monarque  (Belgian  Draft  stallion) IG 

Montarco  Family  Merinos 178,  183 

Montgomery,  W.  B.,  Letter  from 110 

Moore  Swine 230 

Morfe  Common  Sheep 200 

Morgan,  Justin 46,  48 

Morgans,  The 48 

Merrills,  The 48 

M  ustangs 67 

"  Native  Full-bloods  " 17 

National  Live  Stock  Jouinal 112,140 

National  Stockman 1^)1 

Navicular  Disease 74 

Neapolitans 249 

Negretti  Family  Merinos 177,  178,  183 

Netherland  Prince  (Holstein-Friesian  bull).  .81 

Nettie  Norton 36 

Norlaine 54 

Norfolk 40 

Norfolk  Reds(Cattle) 120 

Norfolk  Thin  Rind 237 

Normans 12 

Noriiiaiidie  bull 131 

Norinandie  cow 132 

Normandies 130-133 

North  Devons 124 

North  Wales  Black  Cattle 133-136 

Norval 54 

Olivette  (American  Trotter)  and  Foal 43 

Orient  Maud  (Berkshire  sow) 229 

Orloff  Trotters 64 

Oxfordshires 206-208 

Pacing  Blood 48,  50,  54 

Packard,  Hon.  S.  B ISl 

Palo  Alto 54 

Pancoast 50 

Parole 36 

Part  First,  Summary  of 7 

Part  Second,  Summary  of 79 

Part  Third,  Summary  of 175 

Part  Fourth,  Summary  of 225 

Patron  50 

Patton  Stock 115 

Paular  Merinos 183-186 

Paulina  (Red  Polled  cow) 1 23 

Pearl 46 

Pedigrees: 

Belmont 58 


Ped  igrees —  Continued  : 

Electioneer 62 

Emperor  of  Norfolk 38 

Jay-Eye-See 61 

Maud  S 59 

Pennant 63 

Phallas 60 

The  Bard 36 

Pembrokes 136-137 

Pennant  (American  Trotter) 56,  57,  63 

Perchero-Norman  Controversy 10,  12 

Percherons 8  12 

Percheron  Stud  Book ^• 

Perfection  (Chester-White  boar) 235 

Peter  Piper  (Red  Polled  bull) 121 

Peters,  Richard,  Letter  from 158,  247 

Phallas  (American  Trotter) 50,  51,  56,  60 

Phanix 115 

Pietert je  2nd 85 

Pigs,  Care  of 256,  257 

Pilot 46 

Pilot,  Jr 46,  48,  50,  52.  54 

FMlots,  The 48 

Points  for  Rejection  (Horses) 73 

Poland-China  Group 231 

Poland-Chinas 229-232 

Polkan  First ! .  .  .64 

Polled  Angus 148 

Polled  Durhams 120 

Pony  Breeds 7 

Potomac  Mare 38 

Prince  Bisniark  (Paular  Merino  ram) 184 

Princeps 52 

Princess 50 

Princess  Family  Shorthorns 118 

Prince  William  (Shorthorn  bull) 114 

Prioress 36 

Rambouillet  Sheep 177 

Rams,  Care  of 221,  222,  223 

Rarus 52,  54 

Ray,  Jno.  P.,  Letter  from 183-186 

Red  Polled  Cattle 120-123 

Regulus 42 

Reversion,  Case  of 146 

Richball 54 

Rich  Family  Merinos 184 

Ringbone 74 

Rivers,  \Vm.,  Letter  from 215 

Robinson  Family  Merinos 179,  181,  185 

Rowdy  Boy 54 

Royal  Georges,  The 48 

Uoyal  (iranite  (Berkshire  boar) 2'iH 


PAGE. 

Royalty  (Cleveland  Bay  stallion) 28 

Running  Breeds 7 

Running  Horses 33 

Rysdyk's  Hambletonian 44,  46,  48,  50,  52,  54 

Sable 54 

Sable  Wilkes 54 

Sampson 84,  42 

Sanborn,  H.  B.,  Methods  of 74,  75 

Sanders,  J.  H 8 

Saxon  Merinos 177 

Scandanavian  Horses 27,  64 

Scott,  H.  B.,  Letter  from 118 

Select  (Guernsey  cow) 91 

Selection  for  Beef 167,  168 

Selection  for  Draft 72 

Selection  for  Milk 167 

Selection  for  Speed 72 

Shattuck,  L.  E.,  Methods  of 222 

Shearing 221,  222,  223 

Sheep,  Selection,  Care  and  Management  of, 

219-223 

Sheep,  Summary  of  Part  Third 175 

S  her  man 48 

Shetland  Group 65 

Shetlands 64-66 

Shorthorns 113-120 

Short- wool  Breeds 175 

Shropshire  Group 201 

Shropshire  Record 202 

Shropshires 200-203 

Silesian  Merinos 177,  178 

Simmenthal  Cattle 154-156 

Siiumeuthal  Group 155 

Simplicity  (Shorthorn  heifer) 11«) 

Sir  Charles  (Hereford  bull) 139 

Sir  Hugh  (Ayrshire  bull) 94 

Sir  Peter 44 

Sleepy  Tom 54 

Small  Breeds  (Swine) 325 

Small  Yorkshires 244-346 

Smetanxa 8,  64 

Smiths,  Powell  &  Lamb,  Methods  ot 168-169 

Solid  Color  defined 88 

Snap 34 

Sol  Tel  (Brown  Swiss  bull) 106 

Sorrel  Dan 54 

Sources  of  Trotting  Blood 42,  44,  46,  48 

Southdown  Group 199 

Southdowns 197-300 

Sows,  Care  of 355,  256,  357 

Spanish  Cattle 164 

Spavin 74 


PAGE. 

Speed,  Selection  for 73 

Spiletta 35 

Splint 74 

Springbok 36 

Stallions,  Care  of 74,  75,  76,  77 

Standard  (Cotswold  ram) •. 209 

Standard  bred,  defined 54,  56 

St.  Clair 50,  54 

Stericker,  R.  P.,  Methods  of 75 

Stewart,  Hejiry Tlti,  118 

St.  Julien 52,  54 

St.  Lawrence 44,  46 

Stone,  J.L 202 

Success  (Hereford  Bull) 143 

Success  2nd  (Small  York  boar) 245 

Suffolk,  Black  (Swine) 249 

Suffolk  Color  (Horses) 25 

Suffolk  Punch 25-27 

Suffolk  Reds  (Cattle) 120 

Suffolk,  White  (Swine) 250 

Sunol 56 

Superbe  (French  Coach  stallion) 31 

Suprenant  (French  Draft  stallion) 13 

Sussex  Cattle 152-154 

Sussex  Group 153 

Sweeny 73 

Swine,  Feeding  of 252-254 

Swine,  Selection,  Care  and  Management 

of 251-259 

Swine,  Summary  of  Part  Fourth 225 

Tarn  worth  Swine 232 

Tarentine  Sheep 176 

Telegraph 54 

Ten  Broeck 36 

Terra  Cotta ' 36 

Terry,   T.   G 253,  254 

Texas  Cattle 164-166 

Texas  Steer 165 

The  Bard  (American  Thoroughbred).. 36,  37,40 

The  Trotting  Gait 73 

Thoroughbred,  defined 33-34 

Thoroughbreds 33-41 

Thoroughpin   74 

Thrifton,  Phil.,  Methods  of 255-257 

Todd's  Improved  Chester-  White  Record 257 

Todd's  Improved  Chester- Whites 237-338 

Tom  Hal 48 

Tom  Ochiltree 36 

Topsman  2nd  (Clydesdale  stallion) 20 

Trinkett 53 

Trotting  Breeds 7 

True  Briton 48 


269 


PAGE. 

Turf 42 

Turf,  Field  ami  Farm 36,52 

Velocity 44 

Vermont  Blackhawk 48,  52,  54 

Victoria  (Nortli  Wales  Black  cow) 135 

Victorias,  Curtis 239-240 

Victorias,  Davis 240-242 

Volunteers,  The 48,  52 

VonSchluenibach,  Letter  from 154-156 

Vulcan  (Cheshire  boar) 243 

Warren  County  Swine 229 

Warren,  J.  B.,  Letter  from 136 

Waverly 43 

Waxana 56 

Welsh  Ponies 66 

West  Hi^liland  Bull 161 

West  Highland  Cow  and  Calf 163 

West  Highlands 160-164 


PAGE. 

Westmont 54 

White  &  Conover,  Letter  from 239 

White  Suffolk 250 

White  Turk 34 

Wildair  Breed 48 

Wildair  Breed 48 

Wildflower 54 

Wild  Forest  Breed 112,  124,  133,  137 

Williams,  Consul 130 

Windfall  (Guernsey  Cow) 93 

Woodbury 48 

Woodford  Mambrino 52 

Wood,  Jas.,  Letter  from 204 

Wood's  Hambletonians,  The 48 

Wrinkly  (^ueen  (American  Merino  ewe)  ...  181 

Touatt,  William 22.24,  116,  212,  249 

Young  Bashaw ,. 46,  48 

Zebu  Cattle 157 


ERRATA. 


Page     50 — Fourth  line  from  top  of  page  should  read  as  follows:   "  mares  by 

Pilot  Jr."  &c. 
"     138 — la  the  column  of  prices  for  Hereford  oxen  sold  by  Mr.  Westcar, 

the  sign  «$"  should  be  ''if." 
"     210 — In  its  proper  place,  but  is  wrongly  numbered  110. 


This  Book  was  Printed  and  Bound  under  the  Immediate  Supervision 

OF  the 
C.  S.  Burgh  Publishing  Co.,  170  Madison  St.,  Chicago,  III. 


